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Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany - Readings — Isaiah 40: 21-31; Psalm 147: 1-12, 21c; I Corinthians 9: 16-23; Mark 1: 29-39 Let’s begin with St. Paul’s letter to the congregation in Corinth, Greece. He wrote, “… I am entrusted with a commission…”. I think we all have been entrusted with a commission, to love God, to love neighbor, and to […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Winter 2021 - Elijah the Prophet For our Jewish friends, the Passover supper is the most important meal of the year. It is known as the Seder. At the table that evening there is always an empty chair and, on the table, an empty wine glass. This place is reserved for Elijah who just might come in […]
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany - Readings – Deuteronomy 18: 15-20, Psalm 111, I Corinthians 8: 1- 13, Mark 1:21-28 Moses was nearing the end of his days. It was time to pass on the baton, to pass on the torch, to pass on the leadership to the next leader of the people of Israel. The Promised Land was in sight […]
Third Sunday after the Epiphany - Readings – Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62: 6-14; I Corinthians 7: 29-31; Mark 1: 14-20 Immediately, following the arrest of John, the Baptist, his cousin, Jesus of Nazareth stepped up and stepped into public view, declaring, as written in the Gospel according to St. Mark, “The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God has come […]
Homily by Bruce Johnson 17 January 2021 - Listening for the Voice of God The writers of the Old Testament included quite a few stories about a prophet named Samuel. One of those stories is our lectionary reading for today. The setting for this story is in a place called Shiloh. Long before Solomon built his famous temple in Jerusalem there were […]
First Sunday after the Epiphany; the Baptism of Jesus - Readings — Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11 A friend of mine just purchased a Tesla. He loves it. He can even control it through his watch. He can stand by a store and summon his car from the parking lot to come to pick him up. It’s just like the T.V. show […]
COVID Procedures, starting 22 November 2020 - Dear Friends, Due to the increasing severity of the pandemic in Central Pennsylvania and the concern for our parishes, the Rt. Rev. Audrey C. Scanlan, Bishop of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, with the advice of the Diocesan Standing Committee, has decided it is necessary to suspend all in person parish worship. This decision […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Oct-Nov 2020 - The Gospel of John includes several collections of the sayings of Jesus that are not found in the other three gospels. Some of these sayings are said to be from his public teaching but the audience for most of them consists exclusively of his inner circle of disciples. As we revisit these familiar […]
Homily by Bruce Johnson 4 October 2020 - The Gospel According to Francis of Assisi This is the day when we remember Saint Francis of Assisi or the as he was known in his day, “the Little Poor Man.” He was in fact fairly short. Francis was born in the town of Assisi in the year 1181. Assisi is a small hill-top town […]
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16; Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32 Let’s begin today with a series of passages from the Good News according to St. Luke. First, about Levi, also known as Matthew. He was an outcast because he was a tax collector for the Roman Empire. [Luke 5:27 – 31] Levi was invited […]
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Exodus 16:2-15, Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45, Philippians 1:21-30, Matthew 20: 1-16 Spaghetti and meatballs is one of my favorite meals. Spaghetti and meatballs. You see, we had spaghetti regularly growing up, family of Seven, five children. It was always meat sauce. Why? Because my mother knew there would always be complaining if there […]
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Exodus 14:10-31; Psalm 114; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35 I am sure that we all have seen the classic poster that first appeared during World War I. James Montgomery Flagg who used his own face created it. He wore a blue jacket, a white shirt, a red tie, and a white top hat […]
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings — Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 149; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20 How many of you enjoy hot dogs? I do, and this Labor Day weekend I will be grilling a couple. And do you know the ingredients of hot dogs? Meat trimmings and fat, meat slurry, salt, garlic, and paprika. Hot dogs are made of leftovers, […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Fall 2020 - After several years of traveling from synagogue to synagogue in the part of the world we know as Greece and Turkey, the Apostle Paul was planning a preaching mission in Rome, the imperial capitol. He had received many reports of the growing Christian community in that city. Like all the other early Christian communities, […]
Presentation by Jim Rogers on 30 August 2020 - Elizabeth Monroe Elizabeth Jane Kortright was born in New York City on June 30, 1768, which means it was British America at the time. Her father was a wealthy merchant who was also one of the founders of the New York Chamber of Commerce. He was also part owner in several privateers during […]
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Exodus 1:8 – 2:10; Psalm 124; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20 This morning we will begin with Miriam’s Song. Scholars think it is actually the oldest verse of the Hebrew scripture, verbally passed down for centuries until being written down in Exodus 15: 20-21. It was accompanied by tambourines and dancing. Sing to […]
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Genesis 45:1-15; Psalm 133; Romans 11:1-2a,29-32; Matthew 15:10-28 Our first reading continues the story of Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel. Joseph was a “seer”, one who could see beyond day to day events. [ Genesis 37:5-11] So, the brothers of Joseph sold him into slavery, thinking they would never see or […]
Presentation by Jocelyn Schlegel 9 August 2020 - My name is Jocelyn Schlegel. Today I will be joining you to share the children’s book I wrote and talk about some of the inspiration behind writing it. Some of you may know my dad, Chuck, who visits and serves here at All Saints. I grew up in Sunbury and am a lifetime […]
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost - This morning I will focus our attention on our reading from the Old Testament, on Genesis. What first caught my interest was the name change, Jacob to Israel. How many people change their names? I had two come quickly to mind. Ferdinand Lewis Alcindar, Jr. – became Kareen Abdul Jabbar. At age 23 when he […]
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings –Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 105:1-11, 45b; Romans 8: 26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 Theodore Parker was a well-known and widely quoted New England pastor of the 19th c. In 1850 he wrote – I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways; I cannot […]
Presentation by Bruce Johnson 19 July 2020 - Jacob, the Amazing Dreamer Today’s Old Testament reading is one of the stories of Abraham’s grandson, Jacob. In fact, it is probably the best known of all the Jacob stories. It’s sometimes called “the story of Jacob’s ladder” — a story depicted in the art of several renaissance artists. In this story Jacob […]
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost - Genesis 25:19-34; Psalm 119:105-112; Romans 8:1-11; Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 A couple of weeks ago I incorporated the parable of the sower into my remarks. It is one of the most important guides for our current day – some seed falls among weeds, some on rocky soil, some are walked on, yet some will produce beyond […]
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - Independence Day Celebration Deuteronomy 1o:17-21; Psalm 145; Hebrews 11:8-16; Matthew 5:43-48 I find these readings designed for the celebration of Independence Day an interesting collection. Of special interest is Psalm 145, one of the last of the psalms, a psalm of joyful thanksgiving to God. I think in the parades, the speeches, the fireworks, and […]
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost - Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:13-23; Matthew 10:40-42 Scholars tell us there was a custom in the ancient land of Israel that the firstborn so was sacrificed to a god, god with a small “g”. They speculate that Abraham was listening to the voice of that local custom when he took Isaac to Mt. Moriah […]
Third Sunday after Pentecost - This Sunday’s Old Testament reading continues the saga of Sarah and Abraham, and of Hagar and Ishmael. Unable to bear a child and advancing in years, Sarah gave Abraham her Egyptian slave girl, Hagar. And Hagar birthed Ishmael. The child Ishmael was in line to inherit Abraham’s clan. That is until three strangers visited Sarah […]
Second Sunday after Pentecost - Our first reading is from Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7. It is a most complex text, and scholars insist that it has been heavily edited, going through many revisions before it became the version we have before us. There are four themes that jump out at us today that connect the text to our current climate. The […]
First Sunday after Pentecost - In this time of the pandemic, protest, riot, and divisive politics, I choose nature’s beauty. On Facebook, I post pictures of our home gardens, pictures of dogwood, iris, tulips, daffodils, dianthus, and roses. Our church gardens contain iris, tulips, hosta, azalea, salvia, geraniums, pansies, and rhododendron. We choose nature’s beauty to connect to our […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Summer 2020 - Saul, Israel’s First King In the Old Testament, we find many stories of the key figures in the history of ancient Israel. One of the most interesting of these is the story of Saul, the first king of Israel. It is a story in which God changes His mind twice. First, he allows Israel to […]
The Celebration of Pentecost - The other night, on Memorial Day, in our neighborhood, people were setting off fireworks. I suspect that most firework shows will be canceled this year for the Fourth of July. As teenagers, Leigh and I would pile our younger brothers and sister, all six of them, in her parents’ huge Vista Cruiser station wagon and […]
Safe Worshiping Guidelines for All Saints - The Executive Committee and the Vestry have reviewed the following response to the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania guidelines for the resumption of us gathering for Sunday morning worship. Second Sunday at Six worship will be in recess until the fall. These procedures have been reviewed by Canon Chad Linder, a member of the Bishop’s staff. […]
The Seventh Sunday of Easter - Our readings for today are Acts 1:16-14; Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36; I Peter 4:12-14,5: 6-12; John 17:1-11. The reading from Acts is a favorite. Jesus ascends into heaven, and the apostles just stand there watching while two angels ask, “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?” The angel’s words direct them to mission rather than […]
The Sixth Sunday of Easter - Our readings for today as follows – Acts 17:22-31; Psalm 66:7-18; I Peter 3:13-22; John 14:15-21 While there are variations in the last two lines, this is the verse popularized in the mid-nineteenth century. The origin of the verse is unclear. One possible origin maybe the defeat of King Richard III of England at Bosworth […]
The Fifth Sunday of Easter - Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; I Peter 2:2-10; John 14: 1-14 “When times are tough, the tough get going.” These are tough times we live in. St. Stephen lived in tough times, too. The Jesus movement was challenging the ancient faith of Israel, challenging the traditionalists of his day. The disciples were guiding the people […]
The Fourth Sunday of Easter - Today is traditionally called “Shepherd’s Sunday”. Our readings are – Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23, I Peter 2:19-25, and John 10:1-10. From the 23rd Psalm, we observe that a shepherd has three tools to care for the sheep, voice, staff, and rod. With the voice “he calls his own by name…the sheep know his voice”. The […]
The Third Sunday of Easter - What is essential and necessary, and what is good and helpful? We are all self-quarantined these days, prohibited from gathering for worship together, from graduating together, from learning together, from drinking coffee together. While smog around the world is dissipating and we are able to see more clearly and breathe more deeply, this crisis is […]
The Second Sunday of Easter - God had additional plans beyond the empty tomb. The stone was rolled away; the linen cloths were neatly folded; the crucified Jesus as raised from the dead. Alleluia. Christ is Risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia. The glory of God is revealed. The glory of God is more powerful than the darkness of the […]
Easter Sunday - After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and […]
March 8, 2020 – Grace Kenny, violin - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: 8 March 2020 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: Grace Kenny is a violinist from Lewisburg, PA. She earned a degree in violin performance from St. Olaf […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Winter 2020 - Paul’s Letter to the Churches of Galatia Originally, the Christian movement was essentially a sect of Judaism. The leadership of this movement, which was known as “The Way,” was centered in the city of Jerusalem. The head of this movement was James, the brother of Jesus. Outside of Judea, in the larger Roman […]
January 12, 2020 – John Fries - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: January 12, 2020 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musician: John Fries is a seasoned pianist with over 70 years of experience. He attained his Bachelor of Science degree […]
December 8, 2019 – Rev. David Dearing, organ - Date: December 8, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musician: Rev. David Dearing is a retired ordained minister in the United Methdodist Church and a member of the Susquehanna Annual Conference. He recently retired from full time parish ministry after 40 years of service. His most recent appointment […]
November 10, 2019 – Cheri Wagner, vocals & Leon Broskey, guitar & vocals - Date: November 10, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: Leon Broskey (guitar, vocals) and Cheri Wagner (vocals) are both from the Elysburg area. Leon and Cheri have a long history of singing in local events. Cheri sang in a church setting for the majority of her life […]
Blessed are the Poor in Spirit - Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” Jesus So states the first of the Beatitudes that we are currently reciting for our Sunday morning canticle. There is blessedness here and now for those who know their need of God and their need for a community of faith. There is […]
October 13, 2019 – The FAKE Dixie Band, S.U. - Date: October 13, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: The FAKE Dixie Band, a Susquehanna student band, is a 6-piece Dixieland jazz band that combines the Dixieland jazz of the 1910s and 1960s standard with contemporary jazz music. The band is led by Matt Martratt who arranges, […]
In Tough, Chaotic, Tumultuous Times - In ancient Israel, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon surrounded Jerusalem with his troops. Within the walls, King Zedekiah, confined the prophet, Jeremiah. Still, Jeremiah listened to the voice of God that spoke to his heart. God insisted that Jeremiah purchase a field in the land of Benjamin. He was instructed by God to pay in silver […]
There is a Balm in Gilead - From the region of Gilead, Israel, near Jericho, came a rare perfume that contained balsam (a species of pine) that is noted in ancient texts as a cure for pleurisy, pneumonia, epilepsy, vertigo, asthma, and coughing. The balm of Gilead was traded throughout the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The prophet Jeremiah in troubling times questioned: Is […]
September 8, 2109 – Shade Mountain Strings, mountain dulcimer, autoharp, & guitar - Date: September 8, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: In September of 2008, a small group of friends and fellow music lovers came together to begin the Shade Mountain Strings. The mountain dulcimer is the primary instrument along with guitar and autoharp. None of them are professional […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Autumn 2019 - The Sermon on the Mount In the early chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, we find a collection of the teachings of Jesus that are traditionally referred to as the “Sermon on the Mount.” Matthew tells us that Jesus traveled throughout the region known as Galilee teaching in synagogues and the open air. As his reputation spread […]
Full Speed Ahead, Damn the Torpedoes - On the 5th of August, 1964, the battle of Mobile Bay Alabama was fought. Mobile Bay was the last Confederate port open in the Gulf of Mexico. The entrance to the bay had been narrowed by mines (torpedoes) and was protected by three forts and numerous warships. Admiral Farragut was the commander of the Union […]
Mary, Mother of Jesus - Three observations: Mary was a teenager! Imagine that. Sometimes we get trapped into thinking only mature, seasoned voices can make a difference. Yet here is God, selecting a teenager to birth the savior of the world. We have no description of Gabriel, the angel, the messenger of God. I think the bearer of God’s messages […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Summer 2019 (2) - Wednesday Morning Bible Study Summer 2019 The Book of Job Guided by Bruce Johnson This summer the Wednesday Morning Bible Study Group will be reading and discussing some of the poems found in the Old Testament Book of Job. In these poems, some of the great mysteries of our faith tradition are explored. The […]
August 11, 2019 – Three’s Company, tuba, french horn, & super bone - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: August 11, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: Katie Gegenheimer, French Horn, is from central New York, where she graduated from Jordan-Elbridge High School. She attended Grace College in Winona Lake, IN for studies […]
K.I.S.S. - The readings for this Sunday might easily be summarized as stay focused and keep it simple. The collect of the day states that all God’s commandments can be summarized as love God and love neighbor, as devoted to God “with our whole heart and united to one another with pure affection.” In Galatians, St. Paul […]
Faithfulness Rewarded - Elisha knew that he was not worthy to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, Elijah. As Elijah approached his last days, Elisha proclaimed that he would not leave his side. His faithfulness was reworded by receiving “a double share” of the Spirit and also receiving the stole of Elijah to carry on his ministry. […]
God Assures Us - In a competition to see what “god” could end the seven-year drought in ancient Israel, Elijah, the prophet of the God of Israel defeated the prophets of Baal, the God of Queen Jezebel. With a cloud rising out of the Mediterranean sea, the drought ended. Queen Jezebel was furious and threatened the life of Elijah […] July 14, 2019 – Grace Kenny, violin - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: July 14, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: Grace Kenny is a violinist from Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. She graduated from St. Olaf College in May of […]
Follow His Lead - John 16: 12 is one of my favorite passages of scripture. Jesus said to his disciples on his last night with them: I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit comes, he will guide you into all truth…” Just as the disciples that night were […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Summer 2019 - Wednesday Morning Bible Study Summer 2019 Paul’s Letter to Timothy This summer the Wednesday Morning Bible Study group is discussing the book of Second Timothy. You are invited to make this weekly seminar part of your busy life. The group meets every week in the parish library from 10:30 to noon. As the […] June 9, 2019 – John Fries - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: June 9, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: John Fries is a seasoned pianist with over 70 years of experience. He attained his Bachelor of Science […]
May 12, 2019 – Judy Christie & Jeff Johnson - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: May 12, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: Judy Christie performs throughout central Pennsylvania as a soloist and with a variety of ensembles including chamber […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Spring 2019 - Wednesday Morning Bible Study Spring 2019 Absalom, Son of David David’s best know son was, of course, Solomon who succeeded his father as king of Israel. However, David had another son who organized an armed rebellion against his father and came very close to seizing the throne. This son’s name was Absalom. The story […]
April 14, 2019 – Susquehanna Saxophone Ensemble - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: April 14, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: Dr. Gail Levinsky is Associate Professor of Music at SU where her responsibilities include teaching applied studies […]
Wayward & Dutiful - Lord Jesus Christ, who didst stretch out thine arms of loveon the hard wood of the cross that everyone might comewithin the reach of thy saving embrace: So clothe us in thySpirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bringthose who do not know thee to the knowledge and love ofthee; for the […]
Saint Patrick - When God first startled him during a dream, inviting him to go back to where he lived as a slave for five years, he said, “No”. Yet after prayer and conversation with others this English bishop agreed. So back across the sea of Ireland went Patrick to the island of Ireland. For the next 30 […]
Temptations - Before the people of Israel ended their 40 years of wilderness wandering Moses addressed them on the east side of the Jordan River. They were about to enter the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk & honey. Yet, even across the Jordan River, in the Promised Land, their faith would be challenged. They would […]
Joseph, Son of Jacob - The youngest of twelve, favorite of his father, Jacob, his brothers conspired to get rid of Joseph. At first they wanted to kill him, but for 20 pieces of silver, they sold him into slavery. Taken to Egypt, sold to PotiFar, captian of the Pharoah’s guard, he came to the notice of the Pharouh. Interpreting […]
The Clydesdales - Local television news has shared with us the story of two Clydesdale horses, the breed that pulls the red Budweiser beer wagon, breaking out of their pasture, pushing down fences, and wondering on to a frozen lake in the Poconos. That frozen lake was not solid enough to hold these 1,500 lb horses and they […] March 10, 2019 – Leon Broskey & Cheri Wagner - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: March 10, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: Leon Broskey (guitar,vocals) and Cheri Wagner (vocals) are both from the Elysburg area. Leon and Cheri have a long […]
Presentation by Bruce Johnson on February 10, 2019 - Becoming a People of Faith Luke the physician is one of the most interesting characters in the New Testament. There are many legends and traditions about who he was and what he accomplished in his lifetime but a few things we know for sure. At some point, he joined Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, […]
Anointed to Serve - Jesus read in the synagogue in his home town of Nazareth from the prophet Isaiah, CHapter 60: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to […]
The Heavens are Open - When Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan, we are told that the heavens were open and the Spirit of God descended. When we are baptized into the Body of Christ, into Jesus, then, to the heavens are open and we say to the newly baptized “You are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked […]
February 10, 2019 – Kj Reimensnyder-Wagner - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: February 10, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musician: Kj Reimensnyder-Wagner is a Singer/Songwriter/Performer/Motivational Speaker and Educator, “Kj” certainly has some stories and songs to share. […]
Restoration = Reconciliation - Psalm 80, verse 3, verserse 7, verse 19 – Restore us [Reconcile us], O God of Hosts; Show us the light of your countenance and we shal be saved. To compromise is to meet somewhere toward the middle of two differing perspectives. To reconcile is to move to the correct position, the right position. In being […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Epiphany 2019 - Wednesday Morning Bible Study Epiphany 2019 The Corinthian Correspondence The setting for the ministry of Jesus was rural Galilee. Thus, many of his parables have an agricultural theme. But the Biblical record clearly shows that as Christianity spread through the Roman world, it was a largely urban phenomenon. One of the earliest Christian […]
January 13, 2019 – The Jubilate Choir, bell choir of Wesley United Methodist Church - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: January 13, 2019 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: The Jubilate Bell Choir is one of two bell choirs at Wesley UMC. Most of the players […]
Community Connections - A community has always been an important building block for all human society. We now have so many ways to stay connected – email, facebook, twitter, facetime on our smartphones and computer screens. Of course, the more traditional means of a letter and phone calls are still available. Our connections enhance our sense of belonging […]
God of Love - Jesus, standing before Pilate, the Roman governor of Jerusalem, on Maundy Thursday, said this when asked if he was a king: You say that I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. For the last Sunday of the church year, this is […]
Holy Scripture - Most of us are in the midst of the holiday frenzy of gift purchasing. And after they are selected and purchased, they then need to be wrapped. Some people are artful wrappers, me, not so much. Perhaps that is because most of our gifts are opened by children, and they can’t unwrap quickly enough. One […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – December 2018 - Wednesday Morning Bible Study November/December 2018 Hymns of Second Isaiah In the concluding chapters of the Book of Isaiah we find a collection of beautiful hymns from the liturgies of ancient Israel. As we prepare to enter the Advent Season, we will be revisiting these familiar passages from the Hebrew Scriptures. Come and join us […]
December 9, 2018 – Renee Long, violin & Ben Nylander, keyboard - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: December 9, 2018 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: Renee Long is a sophomore at Selinsgrove Area High School and began her violin studies at age […]
Story of Welcome - When in the 4th century B.C. voices in ancient Israel were calling for racial purity, even to the extreme of abandoning “foreign wives and their children” (Ezra 10), the small book of Ruth was written. It described an earlier time of famine when Naomi and her husband and sons migrated to the land of the Moabites […]
Share our Goodness - The story of blind Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, found in the gospel according to St. Mark, is one of my favorites. Bart is one of the very few encounters of people along the way with Jesus that is identified by name. Scholars suggest that this is because Bart became a disciple of Jesus and was […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – November/December 2018 - Song of Songs The author of the Book of Kings tells us that David’s son, Solomon composed more than a thousand poems. (I Kings 4:32) The Old Testament book known as the “Song of Songs” contains a collection of love poems attributed to King Solomon. Some are written from the perspective of a woman — […]
Second Chances - In times such as ours, when people shopping, people at yoga, people worshiping are attached, to be reminded of the promised love God is essential for our health. I think God makes this promise to us: I take you to be my companion, “to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for […]
November 11, 2018 – Judy Blee, keyboard & Dale Orris, trumpet - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: November 11, 2018 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: Judy Blee Judy is a retired music educator, having taught 37 years in the Lewisburg Area […]
Service = Greatness - The disciples, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, wanted the power positions in the kingdom of God when Jesus would reign. They wanted to sit, one on his right and one of his left. And all the other disciples were angry, James and John were the first to ask what they all wanted to […]
Beyond the Rules - When a player goes down in soccer and appears to be injured, what happens? Whoever has the ball promptly kicks the ball over the touch line and play stops. In youth soccer, both teams are coached to “take a knee” on the field, when play is resumed with a throw in, if the opposing team […]
Thanks, Thanksgivings, & Prayers - The day after Christmas was always a busy day at my family home. It was thank you note writing, while we thanked people in person who presented us with gifts, the other people who mailed packaged gifts were to be thanked by hand written notes. The understanding was that no toy could be enjoyed or […]
Presentation by Bruce Johnson on September 30, 2018 - Searching for the “Good Life” A friend of mine recently learned that he needed hearing aids. He had probably needed them for quite a while. But he had finally gotten around to having his hearing tested. Once he got the results from his test my friend began shopping for hearing aids. He was amazed at […]
October 14, 2018 – Eric Sundberg - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: October 14, 2018 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musician: Eric Sundberg is a musician, a retired elementary teacher of 33 years, educational consultant, and singer/song […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Fall (2) 2018 - Jesus and the Pharisees “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20) In the four gospels there are numerous accounts of antagonistic interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees. The Pharisees claimed Mosaic authority for their interpretation of Hebrew Scriptures. […]
Let is Shine - The young boy had five loaves and two fish. He presented them to Andrew as the 5,000 people sat down on the grass on the mountainside in ancient Israel. That’s all they had! Philip thought that six months wages would not be enough to feed all who came to see Jesus. Jesus accepted the boys’ […]
Presentation by Jim Rogers on July 22, 2018 - The Hymnal 1982 This presentation is a bit different from those we have had in the past few years as it is about our hymnal and the hymns that are part of our service today. The beginning of the hymnal is all service music. Music to accompany various prayers and parts of our services such […]
Why do We Hesitate? - In April-October 1980, we experienced the Mariel Boatlift from Cuba to the United States. Hundreds of small boats, plus the U.S. Coast Guard, brought over 125,000 Cubans seeking asylum from Castro Ceusa. Most landed in Florida. For the most part, these refugees were welcomed and many are now leaders in their communities and beyond. The […]
August 12, 2018 – Shade Mountain Strings - You are cordially invited to our ‘Second Sunday at Six’ program: Date: August 12, 2018 Time: 6:00 pm Place: All Saints Episcopal Church 129 North Market Street Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Musicians: In September of 2008 a small group of friends and fellow music lovers came together to begin […]
Opportunities - In the face of hometown skepticism and opposition, Jesus and his early disciples left Nazareth and set up a new home-base in Capernaum. And as he sent out the disciples on their first missionary journey, he gave them their advise: If any place will not welcome you…as you leave, shake off the dust that is […]
The Value of Touch - Mike Maddox is the pitching coach for the St. Louis Cardinals. I think a pitching coach is the most important coach on the team. He has to know all the pitchers and their skills and their temperament. The pitching coach advises the manager and he also visits the mound in stressful times when a pitcher […]
Mission of God - The story of David, the young shepherd, & Goliath, the Philistine warrior, is well known. Taking a break from shepherding & transporting provisions to his older brothers on the from lines of the Israelite army facing the Philistine army, David heard to the bully Goliath challenge the Israelite army. As shepherd David had fended off […]
Sowing Seeds - Jesus said – The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seeds on the ground… The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on the earth; yet when it is sown it grows up & becomes the greatest of all shrubs… And as he sowed, […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Summer 2018 - Parables of Grace “Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing.” Matthew 13: 34 In chapter 9 of Luke’s gospel we are told that Jesus “turned his face toward Jerusalem.” As he traveled south from his native Galilee, he preached to many large crowds. Luke tells us […]