The Two Comings of Christ - Cyril of Jerusalem

We preach not one advent only of Christ, but a second also, far more glorious than the former. For the former gave a view of His patience; but the latter brings with it the crown of a divine kingdom. For all things, for the most part, are twofold in our Lord Jesus Christ…. In His former advent, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manger; in His second, He covers Himself with light as with a garment. In His first coming, He endured the Cross, despising shame (Hebrews 12:2); in His second, He comes attended by a host of Angels, receiving glory. We rest not then upon His first advent only, but look also for His second. And as at His first coming we said, Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord , so will we repeat the same at His second coming; that when with Angels we meet our Master, we may worship Him and say, Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord. The Savior comes, not to be judged again, but to judge them who judged Him; He who before held His peace when judged , shall remind the transgressors who did those daring deeds at the Cross, and shall say, These things have you done, and I kept silence. Then, He came because of a divine dispensation, teaching men with persuasion; but this time they will of necessity have Him for their King, even though they wish it not.

Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 15

Learning the Liturgy: The Procession

Introduction:

One of the most practical questions every gathering of people must answer is “How will we begin?” “How will we welcome people?"  and “How do we tell everyone why we are gathering?” The Procession serves a simple but important role of answer these questions.  The Procession is a visual, bodily, and verbal instruction on why we are gathering. 

A processional cross holds a central role in the procession and within the liturgical practices of the Christian faith. It is often a beautifully crafted cross that is carried at the forefront of a religious procession. The processional cross symbolizes Christ's victory over death and serves as a reminder of His sacrificial love. As it is carried forward, leading the clergy and congregation, the processional cross represents the presence of Christ leading His people, inspiring and devotion in the hearts of believers. The processional cross exemplifies unity and serves as a visual representation of the faith's central message, guiding the faithful towards the altar where they can partake in the Sacrament of the Holy Communion and worship the Lord.

The Basics: What is a Processional Cross?

• The Processional Cross can be a bare cross or a crucifix (a cross with the body of Christ) and is processed in from the back to the front at the beginning and back out at the end of the Divine Service.

• The individual who carries the Processional Cross is known as a “Crucifer.” The crucifer always processes in first, with the pastors and other assistants following.

• The cross is placed some place at the front of the sanctuary on a stand or attached to the wall for all to see.

Why does the Divine Service begin with a Processional Cross?

• Similar to a national flag representing a nations history and values, so the processional cross represents God’s redeeming work in the world. Beginning the Divine Service with the processional cross is a powerful reminder that Christ is the focal point of the service. The Christian gathering is not focused on human maximization tips, motivational speeches, or simply emotional appeals, but rather is initiated by and focused on the person and work of the God-Man Jesus Christ who carried out and is bringing to completion our redemption by His birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and future return.

• For Christians, in a very real sense, the processional cross it is a banner of our victory over sin, death, and the devil. As we gaze upon the cross, it should fill the faithful with gratitude, joy, and thanksgiving of Christ’s work on their behalf.

• The processional cross also serves as a visual representation of Christ’s presence in our midst. Christ has not abandoned his children but it with them in the valleys of darkness (Psalm 23).

Why do we standing and face the Processional Cross?

• In almost all cultures around the world, standing is how someone expresses honor, reverence, and respect. We stand when meeting someone at the dinner table, we stand when meeting the President of the United States, the court room stands when the judge enters, and the people stand when the bride enters. We stand and face the Processional Cross for the same reason. We are acknowledging that this gathering is focused on God, and that as holy and righteous, demands our absolute allegiance and respect. We not only stand, but in many historic traditions they also face the cross and turn with it as it enters. It is also common to see those present to make a slight bow towards the cross as it passes in reverence.

• At Trinity San Antonio Church, we reverently and joyfully stand for the processional cross as it symbolizes the journey of faith that we embark upon as a community. By standing in reverence for the processional cross, we honor God's presence among us and align ourselves with His grace and love. It serves as a unifying symbol of our shared faith, bringing us together as we follow the cross, entrusting our lives to the One who goes before us.

What is the Significance of the Processional Hymn?

• The Processional Hymn is focused on declaring the kingship, holiness, and power of God.

• Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” Praise of God is an appropriate way to enter His presence.

• This hymn is often selected in light of the season of the Church Year or Feast Day. For example, on Palm Sunday the Processional is traditionally “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” as we remember Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.

• For comparison, while many contemporary churches stack all the songs into one “praise and worship” session at the beginning of the service, liturgical churches intersperse their songs throughout the service.

What is an Advent Wreath?

What is an Advent Wreath?

Many churches and families prominently display an evergreen wreath with four candles throughout the Advent Season.

It is traditionally made of some type or mixture of evergreens (fir, spruce, juniper, holly, etc.), symbolizing the continuation of life in the middle of the cold and dark winter (in the northerly latitudes, at least).

Advent wreaths traditionally include three purple/blue candles and one pink/rose-colored candle, which are arranged evenly around the wreath.

Only one candle is lit during the first week, two in the second week, three (the pink one) in the third week, and all four during the fourth week of Advent; the gradually increasing light symbolizes the approach of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the light of the world.

Since the rose candle is not lit until the Third Sunday of Advent, it is best to start on the First Sunday of Advent lighting the purple candle located directly opposite the pink one, and then to continue clockwise around the wreath in the following weeks. Thus, one could go in the following orders: 1-right, 2-front, 3-left (rose), 4-back; or 1-front right, 2-front left, 3-back left (rose), and 4-back right.

Families can gather around the wreath daily for some brief Advent prayers and readings, especially at the time of the evening meal, lighting the appropriate number of candles for each week.

Many Christians assign specific symbolism to each of the candles:
1) The Prophet's Candle, symbolizing Hope;
2) The Bethlehem Candle, symbolizing Faith;
3) The Shepherd's Candle, symbolizing Joy;
4) The Angel's Candle, symbolizing Peace.

Most churches and families add a fifth candle (white) in the middle of the wreath for Christmas Eve or Day; others continue using the same wreath throughout the Christmas Season, replacing the colored Advent candles with fresh candles that are white or gold, symbolizing the arrival of Christ, the light of the world.

In many churches, a large wreath is blessed at the beginning of the first liturgy on the First Sunday of Advent. Families can also use a smaller Advent wreath in their homes, which they themselves can bless using the following adoption from the Sunday blessing:

Blessing of the Advent Wreath 

Beloved in the Lord, as we begin the season of Advent, let this wreath remind us that Jesus Christ came to conquer the darkness of sin and to lead us into the light of His glorious kingdom. As the prophet Isaiah says, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.”   Isa 9:2

Our help is in the name of the Lord, 

who made heaven and earth. 

The Lord be with you. 

And also with you. 

Let us pray. 

O Lord Jesus Christ, the true light who comes into the world to enlighten all people, bless us as we light the candles of this wreath in preparation for Your coming, and enkindle in our hearts the fire of Your love that we may receive You with joy and gladness and evermore remain steadfast in the faith; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. (Lutheran Service Book)

More more Advent traditions, check out this blog post.

The Season of Advent

The following is reposted from: https://sjvlaydivision.org/advent-readings/

It’s a magical, stressful, too-short, too-long time: the nine months of pregnancy. Especially the first time—because despite all the Google searches and advice from friends, no one really knows what to expect. A mystery is unfolding, bringing changes you never thought possible. And the questions filling the dark of night are not about the baby bump but about the possibilities and uncertainties, joys and heartaches this child will bring. And you pray you’re up for the challenge.

As we prepare to enter the season of Advent, that same sense of longing and waiting captures the hearts of the faithful. What does the Incarnation mean and how does it relate to the Second Coming? Why don’t we just jump into Christmas like the secular world? What possibilities and uncertainties, joys and heartaches are unfolding in our lives? Are we ready for the Savior?

A brief history of Advent

The word Advent comes from the Latin ad venio, which means “to come.” The earliest mention of Advent in Church documents comes at the Synod of Saragossa in 380. The synod members prescribed that no one should be absent from church from December 17 until Epiphany. Pope St. Gelasius (d. 496) provided Advent liturgies for five Sundays. The Synod of Macon, Gaul in 581 prescribed that from November 17 until the Feast of the Nativity the faithful were to fast on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Pope St. Gregory the Great (d. 604) composed prayers and antiphons, selected readings, and composed responses for Advent.

Evidence of the Advent season is found in Rome in the 6th century as a preparation for Christmas, but with a less penitential emphasis. Since the 10th century the Church in the West has marked Advent as the beginning of the ecclesiastical year. Pope St. Gregory VII (1073–1085) set Advent at four Sundays. Towards the end of the 13th century, violet, a color of penitence, came into widespread use as the liturgical color for Advent.

Advent today

Today, the Church has a clear definition of how Advent is to be celebrated: “Advent has a two-fold character: as a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ’s first coming to us is remembered; as a season when that remembrance directs the mind and heart to await Christ’s second coming at the end of time. Advent is thus a period of devout and joyful expectation” (General Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar, 39).

This two-fold character is best expressed in the Scripture readings chosen for Advent. No matter which Lectionary cycle we’re in (Year A, B or C; this Advent starts us in cycle A), the Gospel theme for each Sunday of Advent remains the same.

The First Sunday of Advent centers on the Lord’s coming at the end of time: “Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you must also be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of man will come” (Matthew 24:42–44).

The Second and Third Sundays of Advent focus on the message of John the Baptist, who baptizes with water in preparation for the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. John calls people to repentance, telling them that the kingdom of God is at hand: “John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths” (Matthew 3:1-3).

Of note is the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete (“Rejoice!” in Latin) Sunday. On this day we realize that the time of waiting is coming to an end. To mark the different character of this Sunday, the priest can wear a rose-colored chasuble and/or stole, expressing joy rather than penitence. That joy is also reflected in the Gospel: “When John the Baptist heard in prison the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question: ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’ Jesus said to them in reply: ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them’” (Matthew 11:1-5).

It isn’t until the Fourth Sunday of Advent that the Scriptures focus on the preparations for the birth of Jesus. Matthew’s Gospel tells of how Mary was betrothed to Joseph and found with child. Joseph, who had thought to divorce her quietly, is visited by an angel of the Lord who tells him to take Mary into his home as his wife. “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 1:22-23).

The other readings also reflect the themes of the Gospel readings. The Old Testament Scriptures used during Advent are prophesies about the Messiah and the Messianic age. Most of them are taken from Isaiah, but they also include Jeremiah, Baruch, Zephaniah, Samuel, and Micah. Along with the Psalms, these readings help us see how Jesus recapitulates salvation history, bringing to fulfillment all the prophesies of the Old Testament. The second readings—epistles from the Apostles—serve as exhortations to be ready for the Lord’s second coming and as proclamations of the kingdom of heaven and the necessity to love as Jesus loved. The second readings are also chosen to complement the message of the Gospel for each week.

Wait and hope—in quiet

In addition to the Scripture readings, special attention should also be given to the Collects (opening prayers), Prefaces (dialogue between priest and congregation before the Sanctus) and Prayers after Communion, all of which allude to the theme of each Sunday of Advent. If we’re paying attention, the Advent liturgies can lift us out of the busyness and stress of the secular world, offering us time for quiet reflection and sincere worship.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church sums up the season of Advent beautifully: “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for in sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. By celebrating the precursor’s birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire: ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’” (CCC 524).

This is the prayer of parents awaiting the birth of a child, as well. Once that child is born, we put aside our self-care, and focus on the miracle of Life. Blessed Advent.

(Note: The Scripture passages cited in this article come from the Cycle A readings.)

How to Plant a Church in Six (not so) Easy Steps

Church plant meeting in dance studio

How to Plant a Church in Six (not so) Easy Steps

Our culture today is infatuated with “Life hacks” and “3 Easy Step” methods to achieve desired goals. While I’m all for working smart, I’m not a fan of promising quick and easy fixes to complex challenges. Rather than presenting Christianity as following the easy to travel Yellow Brick Road to the desired location, the Bible uses the imagery of a painful journey through the wilderness. Yes, it is marked by God’s miraculous deliverance through water and provision of bread from heaven, but it is also marked by mundane walking, frustrating leaders, terrifying enemies, and blazing hot days. I say all this with both the Christian life in view, as well as church planting.

I’ve heard it said that “church planting has been overcomplicated” and “it really is as simple as x, y, z.” While there may be some truth to these statements, it vastly underestimates the spiritual battle and cosmic war church planting is. There are no quick fixes, easy steps, or life-hacks to starting new churches. But there are best practices, wisdom, relying on the Holy Spirit, the community of faith, lots of hard work, prayer, and most importantly abiding in Christ. The following six steps are what I believe to be essential for any church plant, planter, or planting congregation.

1.  Answer the Why?

The most important question we need to answer in any major endeavor is “why we are doing it?” Why do I want to attend college? Why do I want to get married? Why do I want this job? Or far more importantly, why do I need Jesus? The why question helps us begin discerning through all the possible unhealthy motivations and return to Christ’s call.

So why plant a church? Most fundamentally, Christ says that He will build his church and He commissioned us to be instruments of that work by going and making disciples by baptizing and teaching. This is why we plant churches, to carry out the work of King Jesus in redeeming the world and making for Himself a new people awaiting His return. All other motivations are superficial and rooted in vainglory.

What is your why? What is your congregations why?

2. Build a Team

Kingdom work is never to be done alone but always in partnership with the body of Christ. From the first step of discerning one’s call to plant it should be done in prayer with those around you - spouse, spiritual mentors, and trusted friends. Who are those people you can invite into this work? Building a team of advisors, prayer warriors, financial partners, and ministry co-laborers is fundamental to the work of establishing a new gospel outpost of goodness and beauty. Building a team is done by asking the Holy Spirit to bring the right people, humbling yourself to rely upon the people God has placed in your life, and listening to their council. Who’s your team?

3. Take time to prepare

Jesus exhorts us to count the cost of following him (Luke 14:25-33). Taking time to learn, grow, research, and prepare is counting the cost. For many individuals and congregations who feel called to start a new church, this time of preparation is often excruciatingly slow and difficult. In an eagerness to see a new congregation started, the premature birth of a church brings with it immaturity and dysfunction. The season of preparation, like the nine months a mother waits, should be filled with reading books, learning from experienced mothers, praying for your child, practicing healthy rhythms before the baby comes, surrounding yourself with a support team, and walking alongside others who have given birth to a child. To skip this season of preparation is perhaps the most common cause of church plant failures.

4. Clearly define what you are planting.

While this is a big part of preparation, it is worthy of its own point. Starting a new church isn’t like following instructions for a model plane or car, there are no manuals that can be followed with pre-cut pieces. Each and every church is unique to its context and unique because of the people a part of it. With that said, as biblical based and historically rooted Christians (Lutherans), we are not starting with a blank white board and filling it up with what we think the church should look like. There are non-negotiable for us, specifically our theology and how that theology is lived out. While this may seem like an unimportant step, assuming we know, and those on our ministry team know, what the local congregation is to look and feel like is a dangerous assumption. The reality is, each person part of a new church start brings assumptions to the table, both spoken and unspoken. Clearly defining what the church is (ecclesiology) and how it will be present in a specific community (missiology) are the two most important building blocks every plant needs to discuss. If we assume these, the church will take on a form and belief that merely reflects the culture around it or the background of the strongest/loudest members of the initial group. Our theology should very clearly inform the culture of every new church start.

5. Build relationship and invite people to Jesus and His Church

Once all the hard work of answering the why, building a team, preparing, and knowing what you are planting has been done, now we finally get to what people most often think about when we talk about church planting - reaching people for Jesus. Reaching people for Jesus always starts simply: two humans interacting, speaking of Jesus and His work through words and actions, and the Holy Spirit bringing new life. Church planting is a highly intensive people-work. It requires lots of face to face time and lots of shoulder to shoulder time. Paul uses the language of “laboring among” and “laboring in the midst of” when talking about church planting. It’s thoroughly immersive. As we build these relationships, live among them, and with them, then we give witness to Jesus and His church. We share the good news and invite them to enter into Christ’s Church. There is a move, from outside the Church, to inside the Church. I’m not speaking of a church building here but theologically and spiritually. We are planting kingdom outpost of truth, goodness, and beauty and it is into that we invite people. Places where the Spirit is transforming lives, the gospel is infused in all we do, the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is nourishing as a foretaste of the kingdom to come, and we seek to live as co-heirs to that kingdom not yet fully here. We are not merely offering the forgiveness of sin, we are offering a whole new life in Christ and His Church.

6. Abide in Christ

Ministry, any kind of ministry, is fraught with dangers. Soul sucking, Satan devouring, and body draining landmines. There is a constant danger of thinking we are the Savior and being crushed by a burden we cannot carry, falling prey to discouragement and despair when things don’t look as we hoped, boiling over with frustration, and there is a constant danger of our soul becoming thin and shadowy because we spend all our energy trying to feed others and never take the time to feed our own souls. Sound despairing? It should. Our flesh and the devil are real enemies that are ever present who would like nothing better for all the above to happen to us. But thanks be to God we are not called to carry out this work in our own strength, thanks be to God we are invited to come to Christ whose burden is lite, thanks be to God who invites us to abide in Christ, and hear our Father’s voice who says time and time again that in Christ we are His beloved sons and daughters. Returning to and abiding in Christ must be our constant state. It is here alone that we find out true identity and strength for the work He calls us to. Thanks be to God!

~ Pastor Matt Ballmann

(Initially written for and distributed by the AFLC Home Missions Newsletter on 9/9/22)

Lenten Worship as a "Bright Sadness" - A reflection from Great Lent: Journey to Pascha by Alexander Schmemann

In his short book, "Great Lent: Journey to Pascha, Alexander Schmemann reminds us of the purpose of the season of Lent,

"The purpose of Lent is to force on us a few formal obligations, but to "soften" our heart so that it may open itself to the realities of the spirit, to experience the hidden "thirst and hunger" for communion with God."

He goes on to describe this 40 day season as one of "bright sadness." Sadness in that everyone walking into a Lenten service will notice that the particular ethos of the Scriptures, songs, addition to specific prayers, or absence of specific prayers (for example the Gloria Patri and Allululias) all carry a quiet sadness and focus on Christ's suffering. And yet, there is a brightness in that it all is in preparation for the coming resurrection celebration on Easter. All the services during this Lenten season are shaped by this bright sadness.

"This lenten "atmosphere," this unique "state of mind," is brought about mainly by means of worship, by the various changes introduced during that season into the liturgical life." He then describes the powerful influences these atmospheres begin to make upon us:

“But then we begin to realize that this very length and monotony are needed if we are to experience the secret and at first unnoticeable "action" of the service in us. Little by little we begin to understand, or rather to feel, that this sadness is indeed "bright," that a mysterious transformation is about to take place in us. It is as if we were reaching a place to which the noises and the fuss of life, of the street, of all that which usually fills our days and even nights, have no access—a place where they have no power. All that which seemed so tremendously important to us as to fill our mind, that state of anxiety which has virtually become our second nature, disappear somewhere and we begin to feel free, light and happy. It is not the noisy and superficial happiness which comes and goes twenty times a day and is so fragile and fugitive; it is a deep happiness which comes not from a single and particular reason but from our soul having, in the words of Dostoevsky, touched "another world." And that which it has touched is made up of light and peace and joy, of an inexpressible trust. We understand then why the services had to be long and seemingly monotonous. We understand that it is simply impossible to pass from our normal state of mind made up almost entirely of fuss, rush, and care, into this new one without first "quieting down," without restoring in ourselves a measure of inner stability. This is why those who think of church services only in terms of "obligations," who always inquire about the required minimum ("How often must we go to church?" "How often must we pray?") can never under- stand the true nature of worship which is to take us into a different world—that of God's Presence!—but to take us there slowly because our fallen nature has lost the ability to accede there naturally.

Thus, as we experience this mysterious liberation, as we become "light and peaceful," the monotony and the sadness of the service acquire a new significance, they are transfigured. An inner beauty illumines them like an early ray of the sun which, while it is still dark in the valley, begins to lighten up the top of the mountain. This light and secret joy come from the long alleluias, from the entire "tonality" of lenten worship. What at first appeared as monotony now is revealed as peace; what sounded like sadness is now experienced as the very first movements of the soul recovering its lost depth. This is what the first verse of the lenten alleluia proclaims every morning: "My soul has desired Thee in the night, O God, before dawn, for Thy judgments are a light upon the earth!"

"Sad brightness": the sadness of my exile, of the waste I have made of my life; the brightness of God's presence and forgiveness, the joy of the recovered desire for God, the peace of the recovered home. Such is the climate of lenten worship; such is its first and general impact on my soul.”

What is Ash Wednesday?

What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent: a time of penitence, fasting, and prayer, in preparation for the great Easter Feast. 

The season of Lent began in the early days of the Church as a time of preparation for those seeking to be baptized at Easter. The forty days refer to our Lord’s time of fasting in the wilderness; and Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Lenten Fast. 

Throughout the Old Testament, ashes are used as a sign of sorrow and repentance, and Christians have traditionally used ashes to indicate sorrow for our own sin, and as a reminder that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Like Adam and Eve, we have disobeyed and rebelled against God, and are under the same judgment, “you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19b). 

But as we are marked with ashes in the same manner that we were signed with the cross in Baptism, we are also reminded of the life we share in Jesus Christ, the second Adam (Romans 5:17, 6:4). It is in this sure hope that we begin the journey of these forty days, that by hearing and answering our Savior’s call to repent, we may enter fully into the joyful celebration of his resurrection. 

The Spiritual Pilgrimage of Lent

Your invitation to The Spiritual Pilgrimage of Lent

What is Lent? 

Lent is a season of the historic church year passed down from the earliest days of the church and observed from Ash Wednesday to Easter. It is 40 days in length not counting Sundays which are considered min-Easter celebrations. Because Lent lasts for 40 days it recalls Christ’s fasting during his temptation/testing in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Lent is a penitential season that is marked by the stripping away of those things which compete for our allegiance to Jesus.

Like a pilgrimage where one encounters places they don’t normally tread, so Lent takes us on a spiritual pilgrimage through our own wilderness right up to the foot of the cross on Good Friday and into the glorious empty garden tomb of Easter morning. By saying yes to Lent you say yes to an unexpected, challenging, and rewarding pilgrimage in which you come to know yourself and Christ’s love for you more deeply.

why should I consider entering into the spiritual pilgrimage of Lent? 

It should be noted that there is no biblical mandate to observe Lent, nor does observing it earn us "browny points" with God. In Christ we are fully accepted and forgiven and nothing we do can cause God to love us more - Praise God! So why practice Lent? Lent is a physical and spiritual rhythm that helps us be conformed to the image of Christ. How so?

1) Observing Lent reminds us of our deep need for a Savior.

2) Observing Lent reminds us of the frailty and shortness of life and helps us reprioritize our lives (loves, desires, thoughts, actions, etc)

3) Lent prepares are heart for the celebration of Easter. If you want to grow in Christlikeness and experience spiritual renewal, Lent is for you.

How can I observe Lent this year? 

There is no rule or law that you must follow to observe Lent, however, there are some time tested biblical practices we can learn from. 

1) Gather with other believers in observing this Holy Season.

Join us at Trinity (or any congregation that follows the historic church calendar) for the special services and activities of the season. At Trinity we will be focusing on the theme of Lent on Sundays, as well as special mid-week events such at an Ash Wednesday Service, Vespers service, Stations of the Cross, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. We also will be coming together for mercy ministry projects throughout the season.

What the Super Bowl is to NFL fans, the final three days of Lent (“Paschal Triduum”) are to Christians. It is THE central three days that shook the universe. What happened in these three days that is so important? It marks the time that the God-Man willingly laid down His life for the sins of the world and not only paid the price for those sins but also conquered death by rising again! We mark these days with one service over three days that begins on Maundy Thursday where we remember where Christ instituted Holy Communion the the Church, continues into Good Friday where we remember Christ’s once and for all sacrifice for the sins of the world, and Holy Saturday where we celebrate the Easter Vigil/the conquering of death through resurrection. Let me invite, invest yourself fully in these three days. There is no more important activity than taking a few hours over these three days to reflect and meditate upon the Lord Jesus’ salvific work on your behalf. I strongly encourage you to make this a priority for you and your family.

2) The three historic practices:

Pick-up one of our Lenten guides on Sunday which will help guide you through the following three spiritual disciplines during the season. Here is also a helpful family Lenten guide.

Fasting - Fasting is the practice of giving up something perfectly good for the purpose of feeling it's lack in our lives. Fasting is never easy but always a huge spiritual blessing. Fasting can come in many forms but the type most mentioned in Scripture is fasting from food in order to dedicate ourselves to a season of prayer and repentance. Consider fasting from a single type of food (sweets, coke, alcohol, etc), a single meal every week, or maybe even a whole day every week (Friday's are traditional to remind us of Christ's betrayal on that day). It's common to fast (or partial fast) during holy week on Maundy- Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Other types of fasting include technology, tv, sports, music, etc. Pretty much anything can be fasted from. If this is your first time to observe Lent I encourage you to start easy and keep it simple. 

Prayer - Prayer is pouring our heart out before God and listening to Him speak to us through His Word. Let's be honest, prayer is hard. It requires discipline to set the time aside and to not just pray for ourselves. Lent is a season we put a special focus on prayer in confessing our sins, asking God to change our hearts, praying for others, and the needs in the world. I encourage you to commit to finding a silent place to pray for 5-10 minutes every day. Set a timer and pray. 

Almsgiving/Generosity - During this season we also place a special focus on those in need. We recognize there are many forms of need - emotional, spiritual, physical, etc). I would encourage you and your family to identify a need in our area - it could be a family, individual, ministry, etc - that you can give a special financial gift to. Who do you rub shoulders with that you know has need right now? It might be a few people or just one. Ask the Lord to place someone in your path and on your heart. Discuss it and prayer about it as a family.

Is Lent supposed to be hard? 

Yep. In the same way that Christ fasted and was tempted in the wilderness before his ministry, so we too enter into a difficult season of self-denial. Self-denial pulls back the layers on what makes us tick, where we find comfort, how we respond to hardship, and forces us to rest in Jesus. It doesn't always feel spiritual but it will produce spiritual fruit as we ask the Spirit to work in our hearts and minds. God uses difficult season to purify us, Lent is such a season. Think of it like Marine bootcamp. Bootcamp is not an indefinite season but rather a short season to refine, equip, and purify the recruits. 

An Invitation

The season of Lent is a gracious invitation offered to you. On Ash Wednesday our church hears the following invitation into this holy season:

Dear brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ, on this day the Church begins a holy season of prayerful and penitential reflection. Our attention is especially directed to the holy sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

From ancient times the season of Lent has been kept as a time of special devotion, self-denial, and humble repentance born of a faithful heart that dwells confidently on His Word and draws from it life and hope. 

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent: by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and alms-giving; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.

Let us pray that our dear Father in heaven, for the sake of His beloved Son and in the power of His Holy Spirit, might richly bless this Lententide for us so that we may come to Easter with glad hearts and keep the feast in sincerity and truth.

Sanctity of Human Life

- Sanctity of Human Life -

On January 22, 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued a presidential proclamation designating January 22nd as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. On this weekend, churches and life organizations across the United States seek to bring awareness and support to the most vulnerable humans - the unborn. As Christians we believe every human being is created in the image of God and worthy of respect, dignity, and the freedom to life. Next Sunday (23rd) we will take time to observe this day. 

So what is the current situation of abortions in the Unites States?  We give praise for the passage of the recent Heart Beat Law in Texas (here is an article I wrote reflecting on its significance) and that the rates across the United States are at historic lows! Praise God! And yet sadly there were still over 600,000 abortion in the United States this last year. Our response to this high death toll among the most vulnerable should be one of  1) prayer, 2) advocacy and education, 3) supporting the young mothers and fathers by any means possible, 4) serving in the foster care system, 5) adopting and supporting families who adopt, and 6) sharing the good news of God's grace and forgiveness over all sins. 

One of the major ways we can be people of life is by supporting local pregnancy advocacy organizations who daily reach women and families with messages of hope, life, and healing. Here is a list of such organization here in San Antonio:

Pregnancy Advocacy Organizations in San Antonio

• Any Women Can - https://www.anywomancansa.com/

• San Antonio Family Association - https://sanantoniofamilyassociation.com/

• San Antonio Coalition for Life - https://sacfl.org/

• Pregnancy Care Center - https://www.sapregnancy.org/

• A Women's Haven Pregnancy Center - https://www.awomanshaven.com/

• The Source - https://www.thesource.org/

• Life Choices Care - https://www.lifechoicescare.com/

• The Share Center (Bulverede/Spring Branch) - https://www.bulverdepregnancy.com/

• Allied Women's Center - https://www.alliedwomenscenter.com/

You may not be called to volunteer in these organizations on a regularly basis but still desire to help be part of the movement, January and February are wonderful months to do just that. Below are 8 ways you can get involved this month in the cause of supporting mothers, fathers, and the unborn.

Ways to Get Involved:

1. Join the march for life in downtown San Antonio or in Austin on January 21st at 1pm - https://www.texasrallyforlife.org/

2. Sign-up to pray in front of Planned Parenthood during the 40 Days of Life (March 2 - April 10) - https://www.40daysforlife.com/en/sanantonio

3. Assemble Bags that are handed out to women considering abortions with information to help them make an informed decision (Every-other Monday at 12:15pm and every-other Thursday at 1pm) - https://sacfl.org/about-us/volunteers-action

4. Become a Sidewalk Advocate - https://sacfl.org/sidewalk-intern-program

5. Volunteer at one of the above clinics

6. Volunteer and support the Foster Care system (see below)

7. Support adoption with your time and resources either by prayerfully considering adopting, supporting families that adopt, or directly supporting adoption organizations.

8. Volunteer at Boysville - https://boysvilletexas.org/volunteer/

Foster Care and Adoption
Throughout history Christians have sought to follow Christ's command to care for the least by being on the front lines of caring for the sick by opening hospitals, caring for the elderly by opening care homes, and caring for the orphaned by opening orphanages and adopting. It is an uncontested fact of history that each of these three have been spearheaded and run by Christians from the first century onward. Even in our own time, consider that while there are 11 Planned Parenthood clinics that provide abortions in the State of Texas, there are almost 200 life advocacy organizations which seek to support mothers and fathers by providing support and encouragement as they bring their child into the world. Praise God! If the parents are unable or unwilling to care for their child, all of these will help with connecting them to organization and families that are waiting to adopt.

Adoption and foster care are two other significant means by which Christians can support the most vulnerable. We believe it is a beautiful calling to participate as a foster family and/or adopt a child who would otherwise be left in the foster system. Let me ask you, have you ever prayerfully considered serving as a foster family or adopting? If not, I encourage you to take some time to consider if God may be calling you to become a family for a child currently without one.

Currently in the US there are over 400,000 children in the foster care system and roughly 1/4th of those are awaiting a family to adopt them.

Here are some wonderful local organizations engaged in this work:

Local Foster Care & Adoption Organizations:

• CASA - https://www.casa-satx.org/who-we-are

• South Texas Alliance for Orphans - https://www.alliance4orphans.org/

• 1 Hope for Kids - https://1hopeforkids.org/

• A World for Children - https://www.awfc.org/

• The Bair Foundation - https://www.bair.org/

• DePelchin Children's Center - https://www.depelchin.org/

• Pathways - https://www.pathway.org/

• Providence Place - https://www.provplace.org/

• SJRC - https://sjrctexas.org/

In all this we seek to extend the grace and forgiveness Christ offers to the broken, ashamed, and grieving. There is no sin too great that it cannot be cleansed by the blood of Christ Jesus. No sin too great. We do not gather to cast stones, for our Lord said "let him who is guiltless cast the first stone" and all walked away. Christ, the only one who is sinless and who has the only right to cast a stone, doesn't. Rather, he offers grace and forgiveness to all who come to him. Perhaps you have felt guilt and shame for your part in an abortion. Hear this good news - Christ does not condemn you but wants to embrace you and shower his love and forgiveness on you!

The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!

Pastor Matthew

How to Teach Your Kids to Pray

Prayer is speaking to God and providing Him the space to speak to us through His Word and by His Holy Spirit. In prayer we share our concerns, joys, and thanksgiving with Him and allow Him to convict, guide, and encourage us.

Prayer is not complicated, but it can be difficult. I believe this is true for everyone but it can be especially true of parents with young kids that wake up at the break of dawn and have boundless energy until they are put to bed at night. How is anyone to find time to pray when you have Sonic the Hedgehog in your house?

A lot of helpful advice could be given here but I want to focus on one simple principle - pray with your children. That’s right. While personal time to pray is important, don’t miss the opportunity to pray with your children. Not only does this help you grow in your prayer life, but it also is teaching your kids how to pray. Here are some ideas of times you can stop to pray:

• Before breakfast (take 30 seconds to pray in public and at home)

• In the car on the way to school or work or running errands

• At lunch

• When you pull into your driveway take 60 seconds to thank God for the day and help you invest in your family this evening.

• At dinner

• Before bed

• Anytime!

Now you might be thinking, “I’ve tried that and it’s just too challenging. They don’t focus and I have to get on them every 15 seconds to stop pushing and pinching each other.” I get it. I really do. Here is a secret that has really helped our family prayer times - make use of written prayers.

But aren’t written prayers less spiritual? Some might feel as if written prayers are less spiritual than free form praying, but here is the truth, while they can be prayed in a mindless and rote way, they don’t have to be. In fact this applies to anything in life we do on a repetitive basis. Just because we sometimes fall into reading the Bible mindlessly doesn’t mean we stop reading the Bible altogether. Rather, it means we seek to read it with engaged hearts and minds, asking the Holy Spirit to enflame our hearts with His love. The same goes for written prayers.

Below are four written prayers that you can print and pray together as a family. At first you’ll have to read it but eventually your whole family (even the youngest!) will know them by heart. We don’t do the same prayer every single night but like to mix them up. So a few nights a week we’ll do the Lord’s Prayer and a few nights the Evening prayer. We almost always include extemporaneous prayers as well, I like to give each child a chance to pray using their own words.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Morning Prayer

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Evening Prayer

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Prayer Before a Meal

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lord God, heavenly Father, bless us and these Your gifts which we receive from Your bountiful goodness, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

I encourage every family to pick up the Lutheran Prayer Book which has written prayers for morning and evening of every day.

Catechesis of Cyril of Jerusalem (376-444)

Fifth Lecture on the Mysteries: Of the Sacred Liturgy and Communion

Wherefore putting away all filthiness, and all guile, and evil speaking, etc.

1. By the loving-kindness of God you have heard sufficiently at our former meetings concerning Baptism, and Chrism, and partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ; and now it is necessary to pass on to what is next in order, meaning today to set the crown on the spiritual building of your edification.

2. You have seen then the Deacon who gives to the Priest water to wash, and to the Presbyters who stand round God’s altar. He gave it not at all because of bodily defilement; it is not that; for we did not enter the Church at first with defiled bodies. But the washing of hands is a symbol that you ought to be pure from all sinful and unlawful deeds; for since the hands are a symbol of action, by washing them, it is evident, we represent the purity and blamelessness of our conduct. Did you not hear the blessed David opening this very mystery, and saying, I will wash my hands in innocency, and so will compass Your Altar, O Lord? The washing therefore of hands is a symbol of immunity from sin.

3. Then the Deacon cries aloud, Receive ye one another; and let us kiss one another.  Think not that this kiss is of the same character with those given in public by common friends. It is not such: but this kiss blends souls one with another, and courts entire forgiveness for them. The kiss therefore is the sign that our souls are mingled together, and banish all remembrance of wrongs. For this cause Christ said, If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there rememberest that your brother has anything against time, leave there your gift upon the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. The kiss therefore is reconciliation, and for this reason holy: as the blessed Paul somewhere cried, saying, Greet ye one another with a holy kiss; and Peter, with a kiss of charity.

4. After this the Priest cries aloud, Lift up your hearts.  For truly ought we in that most awful hour to have our heart on high with God, and not below, thinking of earth and earthly things. In effect therefore the Priest bids all in that hour to dismiss all cares of this life, or household anxieties, and to have their heart in heaven with the merciful God. Then ye answer, We lift them up unto the Lord: assenting to it, by your avowal. But let no one come here, who could say with his mouth, We lift up our hearts unto the Lord, but in his thoughts have his mind concerned with the cares of this life. At all times, rather, God should be in our memory but if this is impossible by reason of human infirmity, in that hour above all this should be our earnest endeavour.

5. Then the Priest says, Let us give thanks unto the Lord. For verily we are bound to give thanks, that He called us, unworthy as we were, to so great grace; that He reconciled us when we were His foes; that He vouchsafed to us the Spirit of adoption. Then ye say, It is meet and right: for in giving thanks we do a meet thing and a right; but He did not right, but more than right, in doing us good, and counting us meet for such great benefits.

6. After this, we make mention of heaven, and earth, and sea ; of sun and moon; of stars and all the creation, rational and irrational, visible and invisible; of Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, Thrones; of the Cherubim with many faces: in effect repeating that call of David’s Magnify the Lord with me. We make mention also of the Seraphim, whom Esaias in the Holy Spirit saw standing around the throne of God, and with two of their wings veiling their face, and with two their feet, while with two they did fly, crying Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Sabaoth. For the reason of our reciting this confession of God, delivered down to us from the Seraphim, is this, that so we may be partakers with the hosts of the world above in their Hymn of praise.

7. Then having sanctified ourselves by these spiritual Hymns, we beseech the merciful God to send forth His Holy Spirit upon the gifts lying before Him; that He may make the Bread the Body of Christ, and the Wine the Blood of Christ; for whatsoever the Holy Ghost has touched, is surely sanctified and changed.

8. Then, after the spiritual sacrifice, the bloodless service, is completed, over that sacrifice of propitiation we entreat God for the common peace of the Churches, for the welfare of the world; for kings; for soldiers and allies; for the sick; for the afflicted; and, in a word, for all who stand in need of succour we all pray and offer this sacrifice.

9. Then we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls , for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth.

10. And I wish to persuade you by an illustration. For I know that many say, what is a soul profited, which departs from this world either with sins, or without sins, if it be commemorated in the prayer? For if a king were to banish certain who had given him offense, and then those who belong to them should weave a crown and offer it to him on behalf of those under punishment, would he not grant a remission of their penalties? In the same way we, when we offer to Him our supplications for those who have fallen asleep, though they be sinners, weave no crown, but offer up Christ sacrificed for our sins, propitiating our merciful God for them as well as for ourselves.

11. Then, after these things, we say that Prayer which the Saviour delivered to His own disciples, with a pure conscience entitling God our Father, and saying, Our Father, which art in heaven. O most surpassing loving-kindness of God! On them who revolted from Him and were in the very extreme of misery has He bestowed such a complete forgiveness of evil deeds, and so great participation of grace, as that they should even call Him Father. Our Father, which art in heaven; and they also are a heaven who bear the image of the heavenly, in whom is God, dwelling and walking in them.

12. Hallowed be Your Name. The Name of God is in its nature holy, whether we say so or not; but since it is sometimes profaned among sinners, according to the words, Through you My Name is continually blasphemed among the Gentiles, we pray that in us God’s Name may be hallowed; not that it comes to be holy from not being holy, but because it becomes holy in us, when we are made holy, and do things worthy of holiness.

13. Your kingdom come. A pure soul can say with boldness, Your kingdom come; for he who has heard Paul saying, Let not therefore sin reign in your mortal body, and has cleansed himself in deed, and thought, and word, will say to God, Your kingdom come.

14. Your will be done as in heaven so on earth. God’s divine and blessed Angels do the will of God, as David said in the Psalm, Bless the Lord, all you Angels of His, mighty in strength, that do His pleasure. So then in effect you mean this by your prayer, as in the Angels Your will is done, so likewise be it done on earth in me, O Lord.

15. Give us this day our substantial bread. This common bread is not substantial bread, but this Holy Bread is substantial, that is, appointed for the substance of the soul. For this Bread goes not into the belly and is cast out into the draught, but is distributed into your whole system for the benefit of body and soul. But by this day, he means, each day, as also Paul said, While it is called today.

16. And forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors. For we have many sins. For we offend both in word and in thought, and very many things we do worthy of condemnation; and if we say that we have no sin, we lie, as John says. And we make a covenant with God, entreating Him to forgive us our sins, as we also forgive our neighbours their debts. Considering then what we receive and in return for what, let us not put off nor delay to forgive one another. The offenses committed against us are slight and trivial, and easily settled; but those which we have committed against God are great, and need such mercy as His only is. Take heed therefore, lest for the slight and trivial sins against you, you shut out for yourself forgiveness from God for your very grievous sins.

17. And lead us not into temptation, O Lord. Is this then what the Lord teaches us to pray, that we may not be tempted at all? How then is it said elsewhere, a man untempted, is a man unproved; and again, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations? But does perchance the entering into temptation mean the being overwhelmed by the temptation? For temptation is, as it were, like a winter torrent difficult to cross. Those therefore who are not overwhelmed in temptations, pass through, showing themselves excellent swimmers, and not being swept away by them at all; while those who are not such, enter into them and are overwhelmed. As for example, Judas having entered into the temptation of the love of money, swam not through it, but was overwhelmed and was strangled both in body and spirit. Peter entered into the temptation of the denial; but having entered, he was not overwhelmed by it, but manfully swam through it, and was delivered from the temptation. Listen again, in another place, to a company of unscathed saints, giving thanks for deliverance from temptation, You, O God hast proved us; You have tried us by fire like as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; You laid afflictions upon our loins. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and water; and you brought us out into a place of rest. You see them speaking boldly in regard to their having passed through and not been pierced. But You brought us out into a place of rest; now their coming into a place of rest is their being delivered from temptation.

18. But deliver us from the evil. If Lead us not into temptation implied the not being tempted at all, He would not have said, But deliver us from the evil. Now evil is our adversary the devil, from whom we pray to be delivered. Then after completing the prayer you say Amen; by this Amen, which means So be it, setting your seal to the petitions of the divinely-taught prayer.

19. After this the Priest says, Holy things to holy men. Holy are the gifts presented, having received the visitation of the Holy Ghost; holy are you also, having been deemed worthy of the Holy Ghost; the holy things therefore correspond to the holy persons. Then ye say, One is Holy, One is the Lord, Jesus Christ.  For One is truly holy, by nature holy; we too are holy, but not by nature, only by participation, and discipline, and prayer.

20. After this ye hear the chanter inviting you with a sacred melody to the communion of the Holy Mysteries, and saying, O taste and see that the Lord is good. Trust not the judgment to your bodily palate no, but to faith unfaltering; for they who taste are bidden to taste, not bread and wine, but the anti-typical Body and Blood of Christ.

21. In approaching therefore, come not with your wrists extended, or your fingers spread; but make your left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. And having hollowed your palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. So then after having carefully hallowed your eyes by the touch of the Holy Body, partake of it; giving heed lest you lose any portion thereof; for whatever you lose, is evidently a loss to you as it were from one of your own members. For tell me, if any one gave you grains of gold, would you not hold them with all carefulness, being on your guard against losing any of them, and suffering loss? Will you not then much more carefully keep watch, that not a crumb fall from you of what is more precious than gold and precious stones?

22. Then after you have partaken of the Body of Christ, draw near also to the Cup of His Blood; not stretching forth your hands, but bending, and saying with an air of worship and reverence, Amen, hallow yourself by partaking also of the Blood of Christ. And while the moisture is still upon your lips, touch it with your hands, and hallow your eyes and brow and the other organs of sense. Then wait for the prayer, and give thanks unto God, who has accounted you worthy of so great mysteries.

23. Hold fast these traditions undefiled and, keep yourselves free from offense. Sever not yourselves from the Communion; deprive not yourselves, through the pollution of sins, of these Holy and Spiritual Mysteries. And the God of peace sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit, and soul, and body be preserved entire without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:— To whom be glory and honour and might, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.

Seven Gifts of the Historic Liturgy

1. Liturgy tells a story - Liturgy is a re-enactment of the divine drama. It reminds us of the redemptive story of God and invites us to find our place within His narrative of redemption. By living into the divine story, it frees us from having to create our own story from our limited perspective and experience and from being slaves to the story our respective cultures are stuck in. The liturgy jars us from the liturgy of this world and tells us of God’s kingdom which we have been made apart of as Christians.  

2. Liturgy frees us from ourselves - Liturgy helps us relinquish our desires to serve ourselves and invites us to surrender by selflessly serving God and others. How? By immersing our lives in God-centered worship on a regular basis. Liturgy is formative, retelling a story again and again that is holistically God-centered. It inoculates us from a man-centered experience of worship. Liturgy is designed to free us from the worship of self in order to focus our hearts on the Triune God.

3. Liturgy forms us - As we come together week after week, we are slowly formed by the words, prayers, and sacred rhythms of the liturgy. The beauty of these rhythms is that they form us passively, almost without our knowledge. This formation is not contingent upon our mood or temperament when we enter the service. Simply by agreeing to participate and join with the existing structure and rhythms, liturgy has the power to change us. The church has always recognized that formation takes place both communally and individually, and how we pray and worship corporately influences how we pray and worship individually.

4. Liturgy sanctifies time - Liturgy sanctifies our time. What does this mean? Most of us live our lives according to a secular calendar and work week, but liturgy reminds us that we belong to another timed place - the kingdom of God. Liturgy brings order and rhythm to our lives through the patterns of the liturgical year (sometimes referred to as the Christian calendar or church calendar). In submitting to these seasons, we acknowledge God’s lordship in both the high and the low times of our lives. 

5. Liturgy is Biblical - The historic liturgy is saturated with Scripture. One is hard pressed to find language in the historic liturgy that isn’t found in the Holy Scriptures. God has spoken to us in His Word and the Church uses His words to speak back to Him. We listen to His Word, respond with His Word, pray His Word, sing His Word, and eat His Word flesh.

6. Liturgy is participatory - Deep down we don’t want to be entertained but rather we long to participate. The historic liturgy invites us to stand, sit, kneel, respond in prayer and singing, to cross ourselves, and engage our hearts and minds. Unless the whole congregation participates the service doesn’t happen, it’s a whole church endeavor not just a few professionals. But not only does it engage adults, but children of all ages are growing up learning to pray the Lord’s Prayer, confess their sin, and declare their faith in Jesus Christ. There is no sitting on the sidelines in liturgical worship.

7. The Liturgy points us to Christ - When people decide to get married they often spend months planning and preparing every detail of their wedding. From what color flowers, to who’s bringing food, who’s in the wedding, and even what gifts to get the wedding party - it’s all thoughtfully prepared. The historic liturgy is like a weekly wedding service where the Bride of Christ comes to encounter and be enraptured by the Grooms love for her. They talk and listen, sing and pray, eat and praise. It’s all been thoughtfully prepared and planned in order to make it beautiful and most importantly focused on Christ Jesus. The historic liturgy is radically Christ focused.

The Lamb of God (Agnus Dei)

After humanity actively chose to turn from God and the flourishing life He desired for them, like a cancer, sin infested everything. They knew it and they hid from God. But God in His great mercy would not leave them in that place of shame and guilt but instead provided a covering for that shame. The first sacrifice (death of an animal) was made by God for Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:21 says, “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” An animal died, blood was shed, in order that they their shame and guilt would be covered.

Throughout the Old Testament we see the sacrifice of a lamb and the shedding of its blood as the picture of how sin would be attained for, that is how it would be washed and cleansed. God tells us in Hebrews 9:22, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Along with Abel, Noah, Abraham, David, and Solomon all God’s people would make a sacrifices to God for the atonement of sin. 

One especially powerful story is that of the Passover where death “passed over” each household that had blood on its door post (Exodus 12). The Hebrew people were in bondage in Egypt, slaves to Pharaoh with no hope of escape. God commanded that they sacrifice a spotless lamb, spread the blood on the lintels of their doors, and then eat the lamb with unleavened bread. When the angel of the Lord came to the house and saw the blood, he would pass over the house. But every house that did not have the blood on the door, the first born male was put to death. 

Fast forward to Isaiah 53:7 and we read, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.”  Who is the prophet Isaiah talking about? Roughly 700 years later John the baptist would point to Jesus and declare to the crowds, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Jesus was to be that lamb led to the slaughter, Jesus was to be the lamb who’s blood would be applied to the households of faith, Jesus was the one who would be the one who would take away the sins of the world. 

Before Christ’s sacrificial offering of himself he would tell his disciples exactly why his blood was being shed and that he was shedding it for them, “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”(Matt 26:26-28). Jesus is the lamb of God (Agnus Dei) who came to take away the sins of the world!

As God, a being outside of time itself, Christ continues to graciously give us the benefits of his sacrifice in the Lord’s Supper. It is for this reason that the prerequisite for rightly coming to the Supper is faith in the gospel. All receive but only those who receive in faith receive the benefits. Luke 24:30 we read an account of Jesus making himself known to his disciples after his resurrection in the breaking of bread, “When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.” Jesus chose to make himself known in that breaking of bread and he continues to make himself known to us in the breaking of bread of the Lord’s Supper! 

When we enter the restoration of all things, it will be celebrated with a great feast called the marriage supper of the lamb. We see this picture in Revelation 19:6-9, “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” These the same words we hear every Sunday during the Eucharistic liturgy.

The the first animal sacrifice cover the shame of Adam and Eve and the many sacrifices of lambs throughout the Old testament to make atonement for the sins of the people of Israel are all pointing towards the ultimate Lamb who alone could take the sins of the world upon himself, be crushed by their darkness and weight, and yet then rise victoriously over sin, death, and the devil! 

Praise be to the Lamb of God! 

How to Regularly Spend More Time in God's Word

There are many great reading plans out there - everything from reading through the Bible in a year to reading five minutes a day. When it comes to reading the Bible, it’s helpful to understand three really important points.

First, Scripture is God’s Word to you. It is how the Creator of the universe and King of Kings speaks to you. It is where He declares His love, grace, and mercy and how He guides and matures you in your faith. What an amazing miraculous gift!

Second, reading Scripture is hard work. You read that right. It’s hard work. It takes time, commitment, mental and spiritual focus. For this reason, many of us make excuses, feel guilt for not doing it, or just don’t do it at all. It’s like receiving a letter from someone that loves you dearly and never taking the time to open it. With that said, there are a few easy habits that will make it so much easier for you to be consistent in God’s Word (more on that below).

Third, more important than the quantity of what you read is the quality and regularity. Better to read 5 minutes, 5 days a week, then 25 minutes 1 day a week.

To recap, it’s God’s Word to you, it’s hard work, and it requires consistency. If you understand those three things first, then the following practical suggestions will help you tremendously in spending more time reading the Bible.

practical suggestions:

1. Place - Find a quiet place to sit where you won’t be interrupted for the next 10 minutes and then shut your phone off (no, really!).

2. Prepare - Take a deep breath, still your heart and mind, ask God to open your heart and enlighten your eyes to understand His Word.

3. Read - Read one chapter of whatever book you are reading and one chapter from the Psalms (If you are just starting out reading the Bible, keep it simple and just read the one chapter). Here is a bookmark guide we hand out at Trinity. Don’t try to get all fancy, keep it simple, less is more. Commit to just 10 minutes a day, five days a week to the bookmark plan (updated every month).

4. Journal - Read with a journal and pen in your hand and jot down any thoughts or questions that come to mind as you are reading. This is a really important step to help you actually process what you are reading.

5. Prayer - End your time by praying one verse from what you read. For example, Psalm 5:8 says, “Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.” Pray something like this: “Lord, lead me you in your righteousness, guide me in your ways. Keep me from following the lies of Satan and the temptations of this world. Keep my heart and mind focused on You as I go about my day. Amen.”

6. Share - Consider sharing with someone else one thing that God taught you or reminded you from you time in His Word.

7. Ask - If you have questions about what you’re reading, reach out to Pastor Matt, he would love to answer your questions!

May the Lord richly bless you through His Word, strengthen you in the faith, and fill you with His love, peace, and joy!

Check out the previous blog post on this topic: Five reasons I don’t read my Bible and Eight really good reasons I should.

Why I don't read my Bible and really good reasons I should

What keeps you from reading God’s Word on a daily basis?

Before reading any further, jot down those reasons on a piece of paper and let’s see how you compare to the five most common reasons people give for not reading their Bible.

Five of the most common reasons people give for not reading the Bible on a regular basis

Kristen Feola shares the following reasons:

Excuse 1: “I don’t have time.” Truth: We’re all given twenty-four hours in each day. You do have time.

Excuse 2: “It’s boring.” Truth: The Bible is anything but boring! It contains stories of miraculous healings, supernatural events, and people being raised from the dead. Pretty exciting stuff, if you ask me!

Excuse 3: “I can’t understand it.” Truth: The Bible can be intimidating at times. It speaks of events that are unexplainable, in language that isn’t always easy to decipher. However, when you approach the study of God’s Word with a true desire to learn, the Lord will give you insight and understanding.

Excuse 4: “It’s not relevant to my life.” Truth: Even though the Bible was written thousands of years ago, it still speaks to our circumstances today. Its truth is unchanging and eternal.

Excuse 5: “I don’t get anything out of it.” Truth: To get something out of the Bible, you have to read it with an open mind and heart. You have to be willing to listen to what God is saying, then learn to apply His truth to the specific situations in your life.

If your relationship with the Lord seems stagnant, it’s probably because you aren’t increasing your knowledge of the Bible. You can’t grow closer to the Lord apart from his Word. Wayne Cordeiro, author of The Divine Mentor, makes this observation: “Neglecting devotions will cause you more problems, more quickly, than just about anything you can name.” He also says, “Spending unrushed time alone with God in His Word releases a fountain of refreshment from the very core of your being.”

I don’t know about you but that list looks pretty close to my list! But now let me ask you this:

What do you think are the benefits of daily reading God’s Word?

Again, take a minute and jot those down.

Here are eight really good reasons to read the Bible regularly:

1. The Bible really is God’s Word to us. - Paul writes that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God …” (2 Timothy 3:16) which means it is breathed out by God, from Him to you and me. If you want to hear God speak, pick up the Bible, read and listen!

2. The Bible shows us who God is - The Bible provides both examples and statements about who God is. In Genesis we see is all powerful Creator of the world, in Exodus we see is a deliverer, in Leviticus we see that He is holy and righteous, in Joshua we see He is powerful and mighty, in the gospels we see His love, judgement, forgiveness, and grace all meet in the person of Jesus, in the epistles we see His practical guidance for our lives, in Revelation we see what we have to look forward to when Christ returns. We need to hear and be reminded daily of who God is and what He has done, is doing, and is going to do on our behalf.

3. The Bible demonstrates to us why Jesus is so important - Colossians 1:15-20 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

4. The Bible nourishes us in our Christian walk - Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4). We don’t just need physical bread to sustain us, we also need spiritual food to sustain us. Without we become spiritual sick.

5. The Bible makes us discerning and wise - Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” And 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

6. The Bible equips and strengthens us to do battle with our flesh, the world, and Satan - Ephesians 6:17 says, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”

7. The Bible fills us with hope - Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

8. The Bible is full of extraordinary promises to the Church - A person would never know or be reminded of the extraordinary promises God has made without reading His Word. Promises about forgiveness, peace, joy, wisdom, and guidance.

So how can you move from making excuses to receiving the benefits of reading God’s Word? I’m glad you asked! We wrote a special post to answer just that question and it contains easy to follow steps to help you be more consistent and get more out of your time in God’s Word.

How to Celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior

Forty days of Lent is drawing to a close; we are walking through Holy Week and are about to arrive at the biggest celebration of the Church Year, Easter Sunday! But Easter isn't just one lone day at the end of weeks of fasting, prayer, and reflection. Easter Sunday kicks off the season of Easter, which lasts 50 days until Pentecost Sunday.

In the cycle of the Church Year, seasons of fasting are followed by seasons of feasting. So how can we press into a season of feasting and celebrating our Savior's resurrection for the next 50 days? Here are several ideas; hopefully you can find a couple that will work for you and your family this year!

Easter Sunday

It's a celebration, so let's party! A party looks different depending on the person, house and family you come from, but a party usually incorporates the five senses. There might be music, some fun activities, almost always good food, and maybe even some decorations. Think about how you want to celebrate Christ's resurrection tomorrow; maybe it's a playlist of Easter worship and hymns that you put on first thing in the morning, or your grandma's famous coffee cake for breakfast. It might be a special meal for dinner, or a banner that says "He is Risen!" You might want to fill your house with Easter lilies, yellow daffodils and pink tulips. Of all the days to go all out on a celebration, Resurrection Sunday is the day!

Even though we will be in our homes for worship services this year, we can still continue the sense of celebration by dressing up in our Easter best. If you have something white, you might want to wear it to remind yourself of your baptism and the new life we have in Christ! 

The Week Following Easter

We can keep following Jesus' footsteps even beyond Holy Week. Here are two recommendations for you to try sometime during the week after Easter Sunday:

1. Fish for Breakfast

Read the beautiful story in John 21, where Jesus appears to the disciples and makes them fish and bread for breakfast. Yes, the resurrected Christ cooks breakfast for a bunch of fishermen! After you read this passage, go ahead and eat some fish for breakfast! Baked white fish with eggs and toast could be a place to start, but if you have a fire pit, wrap some fish in foil and make it really authentic. Or if fish for breakfast just isn't your thing, try going fishing after reading this passage. 

2. Take an "Emmaus Walk"

Read Luke 24:13-35, and then take a walk with a neighbor, friend or your family and discuss a topic from Scripture, or talk about what it would have been like to be these followers of Jesus having this conversation on the road.

The Season of Easter

Here are some ideas for keeping the joy and celebration of the resurrection before us in the 50 days of Eastertide:

1. Listen to Easter music. 

Use a playlist like this one or pick a different Easter hymn/song to learn each week during this season. You could sing this song every morning after breakfast or each night after dinner.

2. Keep your Easter decor up until Pentecost. 

If you have a cross you could drape it with a white cloth, or maybe you want to make or purchase a special sign or banner that says," He Lives!" or "He is Risen!" to keep out during the season of Easter.

3. Party every week!

Pick a certain day of the week and plan a party on that day every week of Eastertide! It doesn't have to be complicated-you could have a Blue Bell ice cream party, a water balloon party, an Easter music jam session (if you're the musical type!), a game of hide and seek (read John 20:19 and talk about how the disciples went into hiding after Jesus' crucifixion), or a movie night (Maybe something like Ben Hur (1959) or Jesus of Nazareth (1977), or another family favorite. Be sure to preview before showing to your kids!).

4. Make or buy a special candle to remind you of the resurrection, and light it at breakfast or dinner each day during the season of Easter. Try this DIY idea. 

5. Join Natalie every Monday of Eastertide for an Easter themed children's book read aloud on our YouTube channel:

Observing Advent - Part II

As promised, here is the second installment of our Advent recommendations for you and your family! These are some extras to help you find ways to make this season of Advent a meaningful one. Book recommendations, ornaments with the names of God, and saints days are covered here; and scroll to the bottom for our Spotify Advent playlist!

Picture Book Recommendations

Books to read the day you put out Advent calendars and decorate your Christmas tree:

Waiting for Christmas: A Story about the Advent Calendar

The Legend of the Christmas Tree

Some beautiful picture books that are based on the biblical story of Christmas:

The Story of Christmas (Golden Book)

The Story of Christmas

A Baby Born in Bethlehem

The Christmas Story According to Luke

The Very First Christmas

Song of the Stars

Three great choices for telling the real story behind Santa Claus:

Saint Nicholas and the Nine Gold Coins

Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend

The Legend of the Christmas Stocking

Picture books based on the history of a Christmas carol, or containing the lyrics:

Silent Night

The First Noel

The Friendly Beasts

Silent Night, Holy Night (Traditions of Faith series)

Go Tell It On The Mountain

A good book to read on Saint Lucia Day:

Lucia Saint of Light

And some additional favorites:

The Legend of the Candy Cane

Annika's Secret Wish

Mortimer's Christmas Manger

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

The Gift of the Magi

The Wonder of Christmas

Christmas Around the World

Great Joy

Apple Tree Christmas

The Tale of Three Trees

Christmas Day in the Morning

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree

Reading Recommendations for Adults (or kids ready to listen to/independently read longer books and poetry)

A Christmas Carol

Waiting on the Word: A Poem a Day for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany

I Saw Three Ships

The Christmas Stories and Poems of George MacDonald

Jotham's Journey

This last book is actually a children's chapter book. The story follows an adventurous journey of a boy during the time of Christ's birth, and his journey intersects with the Christmas story throughout the book. Great family read aloud, although be aware you may need to edit out some of the scary scenes for younger listeners!

Ever Thine Home Ornaments

Ever Thine Home, a part of FamilyLife ministry, sells a variety of sets of different ornaments that focus on the names of God. One of these sets, His Eternal Names, includes a family devotional and activity that can be done throughout the month of December leading up to Christmas. You can find the details here.

Celebrate Special Saint's Days

1) St. Nicholas Day, December 6th

Did you know Saint Nicholas was a real person? He lived in Asia Minor in the third century, and was a Christian bishop. Legend has it that he was known for his generosity to those in need. One story tells of a poor family with three daughters who could never be married because their father didn't have the dowry money needed to arrange marriages for them. Nicholas secretly gave three bags of coins to this family by throwing them down their chimney; according to the legend, these bags landed in the daughter's stockings which were hanging up to dry.

On this day we like to read a book about St. Nicholas (see three good choices above) and discuss ways we can show generosity to others just as St. Nicholas did. This would be a great day to plan an act of service as a family! We also like to hang up our stockings on this day, and sometimes leave chocolate coins in the kid's shoes as well.

2) St. Lucia Day, December 13th

This is a day to remember Lucia, an early Christian martyr. This wealthy young woman used her dowry to help those in need. As legend has it, Lucia would travel into the catacombs where persecuted Christians were hiding, with candles on her head to free up her hands for the food she carried to them.

St. Lucia Day became particularly popular in Sweden, and is celebrated by having the oldest daughter in the family wear a crown of candles and deliver saffron buns and gingersnaps to her parents first thing in the morning on December 13th. We love to deliver these to friends and neighbors later in the day as well! See above list for a picture book biography to read on this day.

Our favorite recipes for this day:

Saffron Buns

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

• 1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup sugar

• One 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 cup butter, softened

• 1/4 cup of sour cream

• 2 large eggs

• Raisins

• 1 egg, beaten
  

1. In a small pot, heat the milk, saffron, and 1 teaspoon of sugar together until the milk is steamy. Remove from heat and let cool until about 115°.

2. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.

3. Whisk together 3 1/2 cups of the flour, remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, salt.

4. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast milk saffron mixture, the eggs, the butter, and the sour cream. Mix the ingredients until well incorporated.

5. Use a dough hook on a stand mixer (or mix by hand) on low speed. Slowly add additional flour, a tablespoon at a time, kneading to incorporate after each addition. Do this until the dough is still a little sticky to the touch, but does not completely stick to your hands when you handle it.

6. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. (Note at this point you can refrigerate overnight and bake in the morning.)

7. Let sit in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size. 

8. When the dough has doubled in size, gently press it down and knead it a couple of times. Break off a piece and form it into a ball about 2 inches wide. Roll the ball out into a snake, about 14 inches long.

9. Then curl the ends in opposite directions, forming an "S" with spirals at each end. Place on a lined baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.

10. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough shapes double, 30 minutes to an hour.

11. Preheat oven to 400°F. Using a pastry brush, brush some beaten egg over the tops and sides of the uncooked buns. Place raisins in the centers of the "S" spirals.

12. Place in the oven and bake at 400°F for about 10 to 11 minutes (turning halfway through cooking to ensure even browning), until the buns are golden brown.

13. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before eating.

Gingersnaps

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup white sugar for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and molasses until well blended. Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; stir into the molasses mixture to form a dough. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll the balls in the remaining sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Last but not least we have an Advent Spotify playlist for you! This playlist includes classic Christmas carols, but also some beautiful lesser known Advent hymns. Happy listening, and may this season be a blessed one for you and your family!

---

Feast of All Saints' Day

Helping families find ways to allow the life-giving truth of Christ to permeate day-to-day life is something we are passionate about here at Trinity! Following the church year can be a great way to do this, so today we are talking about All Saints' Day, celebrated on November 1st.

What is All Saints' Day?

Originally All Saints' Day was a day set aside to remember the martyrs of the early church, who had given their lives for their faith in Christ. Today we remember not only these martyrs, but all the faithful who have died in Christ, encompassing the faithful in the Bible, the early church, the more recent past, and even friends or family members who are now in heaven. 1 Corinthians 1:2 tells us that all who are in Christ are saints. The word "saint" is derived from a Greek verb (hagiazo) whose basic meaning is "to set apart, " "sanctify, " or "make holy." This title doesn't just belong to a select few Christians but to each and every person who has been forgiven in Christ Jesus. What Memorial Day is to America, All Saints’ Day is to the Church, a day of remembrance and thankfulness.

Why celebrate All Saints' Day?

All Saints' Day is a great opportunity to reflect on God's faithfulness, to thank Him for the example of faithful believers, and to be inspired by this example. This could be a great time to share with your kids about a faithful grandparent or mentor who God used to draw you closer to Him. You might want to read the story of a faithful saint from the Bible, or a biography of a missionary or early church figure. As we retell the story of the faithful Christians who have gone before, we give our children (and ourselves) a vision for what God could do through us, and our hearts are drawn in faith and praise to Him for His work throughout the ages in ordinary individuals just like us.

How can we celebrate All Saints' Day?

Here are a few ideas to choose from for celebrating this day with your family:

1) Attend a service at a church that celebrates All Saints' Day. At Trinity this Sunday Pastor Matthew will preach on this theme.

2) Read and discuss a passage of Scripture that talks about the saints throughout time, such as: Revelation 7:2-17.

3) Read a biography about a famous Christian from history. Here are a few of our favorites:

Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History by Richard Hannula

Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie DePaola

Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World by Paul Maier

The Simonetta Carr biographies

Missionary biographies

4) Share about the life of a faithful Christian you knew personally who is now in heaven, and take a moment to thank God as a family for this saint.

5) All Saints Prayer to pray as a family

Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

(Treasury of Daily Prayer)

Let's take some time this November 1st to thank God for the faithful that make up the body of Christ; in heaven and on earth, famous or little known, and to be encouraged to trust in His faithfulness to help us and our children run the race He has for us!