Dear friends in Christ,
The Rule of Saint Benedict. On Sunday, January 8, 2017 at 10 a.m., Saint Thomas welcomes back the Very Rev. Dr. Steven Peay, Dean and President of Nashotah House Theological Seminary. Following up on a lecture he gave to the parish last year, Dean Peay offers reflections on the life of Saint Benedict of Nursia (480-550), as well as the Rule of Saint Benedict. Dean Peay lived as a Benedictine monastic for 18 years, and Nashotah House itself is modeled on the Benedictine rule of life. Dean Peay also preaches at the 11 a.m. service.
Beasts. The beast from the sea; the beast from the earth. January 15 is a beastly day at Saint Thomas, as the Sunday class considers the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation of Saint John the Divine. The class meets at 10 a.m. on the fifth floor. If the number of attendees is “six hundred threescore and six” I may be quite worried.
The Rector’s Christian Doctrine Class has its first session on January 17, 2017. The sessions run every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. until April 4, when there is a break for Holy Week and Easter. Sessions resume on April 25 and continue through May 16. The service of Confirmation and Reception of those from other churches will be on Sunday, May 21 at 11 a.m.
Eliot for Epiphany. The Epiphany season begins on January 6, making this a good time to revisit T. S. Eliot’s famous “Journey of the Magi.” It was recently brought to my attention that there is an extant recording of the poet himself reading the poem. You can find that recording, as well as the text, at the Poetry Archive. If you decide that hearing Eliot read his poems is a worthwhile way to spend an afternoon, the T S Eliot Society (UK) has many of them available. Saint Thomas observes the feast of the Epiphany in 2017 on its feast day, January 6, as well as on Sunday, January 8.
Yours in Christ, Joel
