Our service today at St. Simon's Church was wonderful...the worship, the sermon, the music...everything was lovely. (Thank you, Father Dan! ) Our church website is www.stsimonsconyers.net and if you go there you can see a photo of the inside of the church. Since I like to sit on the left side near the American flag, I have a clear view of the stained glass window of Jesus raising Lasarus from the dead, which is the first window on the right side. That is a close up photo of the window above. It's difficult to express my beliefs but I love the Lord and I love the worship at my church. Being from the southern USA, as a child I was only ever around Baptists, which I think still make up the majority, but I was able to attend St. Simon's as a teenager with my friends, Connie and Shirley and really loved the service. (Thanks, Mr & Mrs Rascoe! ) Later, as an adult when I was searching for a church, I remembered St. Simon's. Here is a quote written by a Baptist preacher who became an Episcopalian and he states it much better than I can...
Something deep in me responds to the sweet and tempered ways of the Episcopal Church. Its atmosphere of reverence, its ordered and stately worship, its tradition of historic continuity, linking today with ages agone; its symbols which enshrine the faith of the past and the hope of the future; its wise and wide tolerance; its old and lovely liturgy - like a stairway, worn by many feet, whereon men climb to God- and still more, the organized mysticism of its sacraments - all these things of beauty and grace move me profoundly.
Joseph Fort Newton
Yesterday's post spoke of my enjoyment of English TV. The USA has copied so many of the shows from England, sometimes they work here (All In The Family, Sanford And Son, Three's Company, Antiques Road Show) and sometimes they don't, (Life On Mars, Coupling, Prime Suspect). I wonder why the network can't copy the show "Songs of Praises" which has been on the BBC for years? The BBC visits a church and films the choir and the congregation singing the hymns. We only have a small choir but they are so good that it is hard to believe sometimes that they are so few in number. (Organist and choir director, Anne Cruz, does such a wonderful job!) If we ever DO have a show like "Songs of Praise", I hope that they will come to our little church! In the meantime, I have found a clip from a much larger church than St. Simon's Church, but just think of it, since we are both Anglican, we have the same exact readings each and every Sunday...
Peace Be With You.
Beautiful post! I was raised Methodist, but joined St.Paul's Episcopal Church here in Sikeston, Missouri, when our youngest daughter was born. Love the quote about the Episcopal Church...so true! I'm a new follower; so nice to "meet" you!
ReplyDelete♥ Anne ♥
Dear Anne,
DeleteThank you! I was so happy to find that quote, wish I could write like that.
And I am so happy to "meet" you and thankful that you have become a follower.
Peace!
Kay
A very lovely post, Kay. It's always nice to find something that feeds our soul and gives us comfort.
ReplyDeleteDear Martha,
DeleteThank you. I once heard a very good sermon about "comfort", instead of thinking of plush cushions, we should think of the original meaning from the Latin which means "to strengthen" and I really like that. So when you bring comfort to someone who is hurting, you are bringing strength to them.
So my church does feed my soul and gives me comfort, just as my walks on Arabia! :-)
I love stained-glass - what a beautiful sight to greet worshipers! I really like that quote by Joseph Newton.
ReplyDeleteDear Jane,
DeleteI love stained glass too! I really do need to do a post just on that subject.
And I was excited to find that quote which states exactly how I feel about the Episcopal church.
Interesting blog Kay, and some great photos. I have had a great read !
ReplyDeleteHey P!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I left you a message on your last post. I meant to tell you that I liked the photos, especially the one of the bird and its shadow. I love birds and birds are very hard to photograph!
I hope you will visit again!
Beautiful rendition of Lazarus' story in the window:)
ReplyDeleteEmille,
ReplyDeleteThis window is in my direct line of vision from where I like to sit in the church. All of the windows are lovely but this is one of my favorites.
I love these words: 'wise and wide tolerance. old and lovely liturgy.' That's it in a nutshell for me. I would only add, the hymns!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if this is a national slogan or just here, but I really love these words: 'infinite respect for one another. radical hospitality for the world.'
I'd love to go to your church with you, dear Kay.
Dear Nan,
DeleteI loved that quote when I found it, it said exactly the way I feel but I like you, I might have said something about the hymns! They are wonderful! Sometimes they make me cry, they are so moving.
Dearest Nan, you are very welcome to come to my church anytime!
Kay, what a lovely post and you share so many wonderful and encouraging things to ponder. I love that quote, and also the thought that all over the world everyone is singing the same songs and praying the same liturgy on any given Sunday. Interestingly, the Musician and I just visit a little local Anglican church for the first time recently. I'm feeling more and more drawn toward a liturgical form of worship, which is not something I have been familiar with up till now. There seems to be such depth to it, and to think that this is how millions of Christians have worshiped going back centuries is something to consider, and rather amazing.
ReplyDeleteDear Sara, Thank you so much. If you don't have a Book of Common Prayer, I'll bet the church would loan one to you. If you look and read it, you will be amazed at all that is in it...and the history behind it is pretty amazing too.
ReplyDeleteAs I said, I am a working class gal from the South, and from a long line of Baptists... but like the sign says, The Episcopal church welcomed me!