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Celebration of All Saints - Readings – Isaiah 25: 6-9; Psalm 24; Revelation 21: 1-6a, John 11: 32-44 How many have ever visited Hyner View? You go to Lock Haven, past the University, and west on Route 116, and turn off just a bit before Renovo. There is Hyner View State Park, and to get to the summit you go […]
The Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Ruth 1: 1-18; Psalm 146; Hebrews 9: 11-14; Mark 12: 28-34 A reading from the Old Testament Book of Ezra – At that time those who had come from captivity, returned exiles, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel…. The officials approached… and said, ‘the people of Israel, the priests, and the […]
The Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Job 42: 1-6, 10-17; Psalm 34: 1-8, 19-22; Hebrews 7: 23-28; Mark 10: 46-52 Jesus was on the road again, the road to Jerusalem, which passed through Jericho. He was on his way to celebrate the Passover, as all male Jews were required to do if they were within 15 miles of Jerusalem. […]
The Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Job 38: 1-7, 34-41; Psalm 104: 1-9, 25, 37b; Hebrews 5: 1-10; Mark 10:35-45 As you may know, I enjoy watching sports, as many of you do, too. I especially enjoy watching in person soccer, baseball, and basketball. It is very exciting when points are put up on the board by our grandson […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – October-November 2021 - The Sermon on the Mount In chapters five, six, and seven of Matthew’s gospel, we find a collection of the teachings of Jesus. In these teachings, Jesus is challenging the people of that day to rethink their understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures. He is speaking to a first-century Jewish audience. Join us this fall […]
Presentation by Anna Rickrode – 10 October 2021 - Mark 10:17-31 We are never done with the stories of the Gospels. We don’t outgrow them. They’re not something to be mastered, completed: “Oh, I’ve heard that one.” “Oh, that one’s about this or that”. When we reduce the stories of the Gospels to themes and morals, we strip the Gospel of its power. The […]
The Celebration of St. Francis - Readings – Galatians 6: 14- 8; Psalm 121; Matthew 11: 25-30 Today as part of our blessing of pets, traditional for the celebration of St. Francis, we will sing Hymn #405, “All things bright and beautiful”. The hymn was first published in 1848. The author, Cecil Frances Alexander, was inspired by the very beginning of […]
The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Esther 7: 1-6, 9-10, 9: 20-22; Psalm 124; James 5: 13-20, Mark 9: 38-50 The Lutheran Church outdoor sign on Ridge Road in Northumberland reads “God’s Work; Our Hands”. I find these words to be a good reminder – “God’s Work; Our Hands”. We are invited to join in God’s work. We can […]
The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Proverbs 31: 10-31; Psalm 1; James 3: 13-4:3, 7-8a, Mark 9: 30-37 The beginning of our proper collect for today is – “Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things”. My Grandmother Donecker used to tell us, “This, too will pass”. Yes, “we are placed among things that are passing away”, […]
Homily by Bruce Johnson – 12 September 2021 - “Who Do You Say That I Am?” Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked them, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who […]
The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Proverbs 22: 1-2, 8-9, 22-23; Psalm 125; James 2: 1-17; Mark 7: 24-37 On September 18 – 20, 1863 in Chickamauga, Georgia the Union and Confederate armies fought the second largest battle of the Civil War, second only to Gettysburg. There were over 34,000 casualties. A few years following the war the veterans […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Fall 2021 - The Prophet Jeremiah The prophet Jeremiah lived in one of the most chaotic and tragic periods in the history of Israel and the Middle East. During his lifetime the Assyrian Empire collapsed and the region came under the control of the Babylonians. This was also a period of great religious conflict and strife in […]
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Song of Solomon, 2: 8-13; Psalm 45: 1-2, 7-10; James 1: 17-27; Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Our proper collect for today includes – “increase in us true religion”. How would you describe “true religion”? In the seventeenth century, in England, the Anglican bishops decreed that on the East wall of every Anglican […]
Presentation by Jim Rogers – 15 August 2021 - Daylight & Dark Normally, my presentations are about hymns. However, as I prepared for this one I noticed a trend toward separating day and night in our hymns and prayers and lessons. So, we see in our hymnal that there is a section for MORNING starting with hymn No. 1, “Father we praise […]
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – II Samuel 18: 5-9, 15, 31-33; Psalm 130; Ephesians 4: 25 – 5:2; John 6: 35; 41-51 My grandmother Donecker loved to cook for the family. When I was young Sunday dinner was at noon at her home in Philadelphia. A white tablecloth was always on. She said that it had to be […]
The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – II Samuel 11: 26 – 12: 13a; Psalm 51: 1- 13; Ephesians 4: 1- 16; John 6: 24 – 35 As many of you know, I am a baseball fan, especially a Philadelphia Phillies fan. Not last night for sure, but a couple of nights ago the Phillies were down 5 -3 going […]
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – II Samuel 11: 1-15; Psalm 14; Ephesians 3: 14-21; John 6: 1-21 The Old Testament reading and the Gospel reading are about contrasting kings, King David, and the long-awaited King of Heaven, Jesus Christ. In the Gospel, we hear the very familiar tale of Jesus feeding the crowd. It was supper time and […]
Presentation by Laura Keister 18 July 2021 - I will continue my tradition of talking about strong, independent Christian women in our history. Many of these women had a religious experience that changed their path in life. One of these women is Sojourner Truth. If you are like I was, I knew she was important in the movement for women’s rights and women’s […]
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – II Samuel 6: 1-5, 12b-19; Psalm 24; Ephesians 1: 3-14; Mark 6: 14-29 Jesus had just begun his public ministry. He and his earliest disciples were going from village to village. A woman had touched his robe and was healed. Jesus took Jairus’ daughter by the hand and she miraculously recovered. Then the […]
The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost - The Fourth of July Readings—Deuteronomy 10: 17-21; Psalm 145; Hebrews 11: 8-16; Matthew 5: 43-48 What a lectionary for Independence Day! These readings point to the very core of our faith on a day when we celebrate our birth as “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”. From Deuteronomy – “the […]
The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – II Samuel 1:1, 17 – 27; Psalm 130; II Corinthians 8: 7 – 15; Mark 5: 21 – 43 I am a history buff. Frequently on our trips to Barnes and Noble in State College, I will pick up a biography or a book of history. This time of year, my thoughts go […]
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings: I Samuel 17: 1a, 4-11, 19-23, 32-49; Psalm 9: 9-20; II Corinthians 6: 1-13; Mark 4: 35-41 To honor my father, I thought I would bring along some of his tools. They also help us focus on the readings for today. I have a hammer, a saw, a screwdriver, and a level. First, the […]
The Third Sunday after Pentecost - Readings: I Samuel 15: 34-16: 13; Psalm 20; II Corinthians 5: 6-17; Mark 4: 26-34 From II Corinthians we heard, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away, everything has become new”. This passage is the center of the Angelus, the eight-minute devotion observed here on Mondays […]
The Second Sunday after Pentecost - Readings– I Samuel 8: 4- 20, 11: 14- 15; Psalm 138; II Corinthians 4: 13 – 5: 1; Mark 3: 20-35 About following the crowd. As a teenager, I sometimes defended a decision with the words, “Everyone else is doing it!” My parents would then reply, “If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you […]
The First Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Isaiah 6: 1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8: 12-17; John 3: 1-17 To fill out the importance of the conversation of Jesus and Nicodemus in today’s Gospel reading, we need to remember that it was Nicodemus on Good Friday, following the crucifixion, who asked Pilot for the body of Jesus for burial in his […]
26 May 2021 COVID UPDATE - Safe Worshiping The Executive Committee and the Vestry have reviewed the following response to the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania guidelines for our gathering for Sunday morning worship. Please review the following guidelines. These procedures have been forwarded to Canon Chad Linder, a member of the Bishop’s staff. A Revised Plan All enter by the Market […]
The Day of Pentecost - Readings — Acts 2: 1-21; Psalm 104: 25-35, 37; Romans 8: 22-27; John 15: 26-27; 16: 4b- 15 Piggy Banks. How many of you had piggy banks as children? I had one, actually many, but only one at a time, from Glenside Savings and Loan Bank. The bank gave out plastic piggy banks with their […]
The Seventh Sunday of Easter - Readings – Acts 1:15-17, 21-26; Psalm 1; I John 5: 9 – 13; John 17: 6-19 During this season of Easter our first readings each Sunday have been from the Book of Acts, the Acts of the Apostles. The selections have been out of sequence which can be a little confusing. Today we return to […]
The Fifth Sunday of Easter - Readings – Acts 8: 26-40; Psalm 22: 24 – 30; I John 4: 7 – 21; John 15: 1-8 Let’s begin with our Psalm for today, verses 24 – 30 of Psalm 22. Now Psalm 22 should sound familiar. Just a little more than five weeks ago, on a Friday we heard the beginning of […]
Wednesday Morning Bible Study – Spring (2) 2021 - First, Second, and Third John The New Testament canon includes three books attributed to someone named John. These three very brief documents are sometimes referred to as letters or epistles. The first reads like a sermon or essay. The other two are more like memoranda. They appear to have been composed early in the second […]
The Second Sunday of Easter - Readings–Acts 4: 32-35; Psalm 133; I John 1: 1-2:2; John 20:19-31 Let’s begin with a bit of American history. Who said, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly, we will all hang separately”? (Benjamin Franklin). And where? (Philadelphia) And when? (July 1776 at the signing of the Declaration of Independence) Hanging together is […]
The Day of the Resurrection: Easter Sunday - Readings – Acts 10: 34-43; Psalm 118: 1-2, 14-24; I Corinthians 15: 1-11; John 20: 1-18 Our God is just awesome, inviting and embracing with love, giving second chance after second chance after second chance. Remember Thomas? Following the arrest of Jesus, what did he do? He fled. When Jesus appeared on Easter Sunday, the […]
Updated – Safe Worshiping Guidelines - Published 13 May 2020, Revised 23 May 2020, Revised 30 March 2021 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. Please review the following guidelines. These procedures have been reviewed by Canon Chad Linder, a […]
The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday - Readings – Mark 11: 1-11; Isaiah 50: 4 – 9a; Psalm 31: 9 -16; Philippians 2: 5 – 11; Mark 14: 1 – 15: 47 One of my favorite Christmas carols, yes, Christmas carols, is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”, Hymn #56. The first verse is as follows: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, […]
Easter Letter 2021 - Dear Friends, It is with great joy that we approach the celebration of the Resurrection on Easter Morning. The effort of quarantining, masking, distancing, and temperature taking by the people of Snyder County, our neighbors, has given us the gift of resuming community worship. Come with your bells to make a joyful noise, and […]
The Fifth Sunday in Lent - Readings – Jeremiah 31: 31-34; Psalm 51: 1-13; Hebrews 5: 5-10; John 12: 20-33 Our readings for today highlight the reality that faith is an affair of the heart. The proper collect for today states “… our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found”. The prophet Jeremiah, speaking for […]
The Fourth Sunday of Lent - Readings – Numbers 21: 4-9; Psalm 107: 1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2; 1-10; John 3: 14-21 The freed slaves, the Hebrew people, were complaining again as they journeyed toward The Promised Land. They detested the “manna from heaven” that God was providing for them in the wilderness. They were “impatient on the way”, as children in […]
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 – Spring 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 […]
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99; I Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22: 1-14 !God wants you! That’s right, God wants you. Just like God chose the Hebrew slaves who were living in Egypt. God chose them for service; God chose them to be unique among all the peoples of the earth; God chose them to be […]
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Readings – Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106: 1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4: 1-9; Matthew 22: 1-14 In 1876, with the Civil War and Reconstruction over, industrialization was in full force. And factory life was becoming more and more dangerous and demanding. Big business was exploiting the common worker. In this environment arose the “social gospel’. The social […]
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 Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again. While there are variations in the last two lines, this is the […]
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 […]