The 7th Day of Christmas, our wedding day! December 31st....31 years!

Josephine Butler

Josephine Elizabeth Grey was born in Northumberland in 1828. She was schooled at home, where she read English and Italian literature, and translations of the Church Fathers. When 24 years old, she married George Butler, then a tutor at Oxford. She was an early advocate of better provisions for university education for women (see her contributions to Woman's Work and Woman's Culture, 1869). Later, she focused her energies on the plight of women on the fringes of society. Having settled in Liverpool in 1866, she helped to establish homes and refuges for friendless women, housing large numbers of them in her own home. The Contagious Disease Acts of 1864, 1866, and 1869 in effect established government brothels for soldiers and sailors. They placed prostitutes under police supervision while essentially making it impossible for them to leave their line of work. The Acts applied to seaports and garrison towns (although it was proposed eventually to extend them to the rest of the country), and they were defended on the grounds that it was inevitable that soldier and sailors would have sex, and that it was better that they do so under government supervision, so as to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (safe sex), and so that men, having an ample supply of prostitutes at their disposal, would leave nice girls alone. Mrs Butler led the campaign for the repeal of these Acts, which finally succeeded in 1886. This included the abolition of similar arrangements in British India. Meanwhile, Mrs Butler extended her concerns to the continent of Europe. She was able to show that in Brussels a number of under-age English girls were being involuntarily held as prostitutes with the connivance of the police, and the Police Chief and his second in command were accordingly dismissed. It was largely through her influence that the laws for the state regulation of vice were reformed to prevent the enslavement of prostitutes in Switzerland, Holland, Norway, France, and Italy. In 1886 her husband (who had given his full support to her work) fell seriously ill, and she retired from public life to care for him. She died on 30 December 1906. Her writings include a Life of St. Catherine of Siena (1898), a Life of Pastor Oberlin (1882), The Hour Before The Dawn (a tract on the campaign to repeal the Acts; 1876), Personal Reminiscences of a Great Crusade (1896), and Native Races and The War (a defense of British action in the Boer War; 1900). written by James Kiefer Prayer Let your continual mercy, O Lord, kindle in your Church the never-failing gift of love, that, following the example of your servant Josephine Butler, we may have grace to defend the poor, and maintain the cause of those who have no helper; for the sake of him who gave his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Remember The Holy Innocents...the 5th Day of Christmas

We read in Matthew 2 that when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, King Herod, fearing for his throne, ordered that all the male infants of Bethlehem be killed. These children are regarded as martyrs for the Gospel -- "martyrs in fact though not in will." Augustine called them "buds, killed by the frost of persecution the moment they showed themselves." written by James Kiefer Prayer We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod. Receive, we pray, into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims; and by your great might frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish your rule of justice, love, and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Happy 3rd Day....the day of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist

John, son of Zebedee, was one of the twelve apostles of Our Lord. Together with his brother James and with Simon Peter, he formed a kind of inner circle of Three among the Twelve, in that those three were privileged to behold the miracle of the Great Catch of Fish (L 5:10), the healing of Peter's mother-in-law (P 1:29), the raising of the daughter of Jairus (P 5:37 = L 8:51), the Transfiguration (M 17:1 = P 9:2 = L 9:28), and the Agony in Gethsemane (M 26:37 = P 14:33). He expressed a willingness to undergo martyrdom (M 20:22 = P 10:39) -- as did the other apostles (M 26:35 = P 14:31) -- and is accordingly called a martyr in intention. However, we have ancient testimony that, although imprisoned and exiled for his testimony to the Gospel, he was eventually released and died a natural death in Ephesus: "a martyr in will but not in deed." John is credited with the authorship of three epistles and one Gospel, although many scholars believe that the final editing of the Gospel was done by others shortly after his death. He is also supposed by many to be the author of the book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse, although this identification is less certain. written by James Kiefer Prayer Shed upon your Church, O Lord, the brightness of your light; that we, being illumined by the teaching of your apostle and evangelist John, may so walk in the light of your truth, that at length we may attain to the fullness of eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Happy Feast of Stephen Day....2nd Day of Christmas

All that we know about Stephen the Protomartyr (that is, the first martyr of the Christian Church) is found in chapters 6 and 7 of the Book of Acts. The early Christian congregations, like the Jewish synagogues, had a program of assistance for needy widows, and some of the Greek-speaking Jews in the Jerusalem congregation complained that their widows were being neglected. The apostles replied: "We cannot both preach and administer financial matters. Choose seven men from among yourselves, respected, Spirit-filled, and of sound judgement, and let them be in charge of the accounts, and we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word." The people accordingly chose seven men, including Stephen, and the apostles laid their hands on them. They are traditionally considered to be the first deacons, although the Scriptures do not use the word to describe them. (The Scriptures do refer to officials called deacons in the local congregations, without being very specific about their duties; and a century or more later, we find the organized charities of each local congregation in the hands of its deacons.) Stephen was an eloquent and fiery speaker, and a provocative one. (Some readers have speculated that some of his fellow Christians wanted to put him in charge of alms in the hope that he would administer more and talk less.) His blunt declarations that the Temple service was no longer the means by which penitent sinners should seek reconciliation with God enraged the Temple leaders, who caused him to be stoned to death. As he died, he said, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." One of those who saw the stoning and approved of it was Saul (or Paul) of Tarsus, who took an active part in the general persecution of Christians that followed the death of Stephen, but who was later led to become a Christian himself. We remember Stephen on December 26, the day after Christmas. Hence the song Good King Wenceslas looked out On the feast of Stephen, describes an action of the king on the day after Christmas Day. The tune used with this song is older than the words and was previously used with a hymn often sung on the feasts of Stephen and other martyrs. It begins: Christian friends, your voices raise. Wake the day with gladness. God himself to joy and praise turns our human sadness: Joy that martyrs won their crown, opened heaven's bright portal, when they laid the mortal down for the life immortal. written by James Kiefer Prayer We give you thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to your Son Jesus Christ, who stands at your right hand: where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Happy 1st Day of Christmas!

Good food and family...some blessings of Christmas!

O come, O come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Child of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel! O come, you Wisdom from on high, who orders all things mightily; to us the way of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel! O come, O come, You God of might, who to Your tribes on Zi on's height in ancient times did give the law, in cloud, and majesty, and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel! O come, Desire of nations, bind in one the hearts of all our kind; now bid our sad divisions cease, and bring to us the wonder of your peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel! Music: Veni Emmanuel (15th C) Words: Andrew of Milan (4th C) Sequence: Martha Decker http:deckernet.comshedxmasmidi.htm

John's Birthday!

John is 23 years old today! Praise the Lord for his many blessings to us. This photo was taken the morning he left to drive to Quantico, Virginia where he is presently stationed. Happy Birthday, John!

TPC Christmas Party at the Woods' house....

Good pee-ee-eeple, rejoice!

I just have to copy this Holiday song published in the Dec -08' issue of Touchstone Magazine. :-). Winter Holiday Song I To the tune of "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" Good pe-ee-eeple, rejoice- With ev'ry diverse voice; Give you heed to joyous news: We have all-inclusive pews! Now you need not fear the church; Friendly to each seeker's search- Broad is our pathway-- Broad is our pathway! Good pee-ee-eeple, rejoice! In ev'ry human cho-oi-oice; Lifestyles are so fun to live ('Specially when Alternative), Each respected equally And all at risk for HIV- So please use one of these... Please use one of these!) Good pe-ee-eeple, be free-ee-ee, From thinking narrow-lee-ee; Leave the old Book on the shelf- Find your own way to Godself! We've no more rock of offense- Come bask in our tolerance! Broad is our pathway- Broad is our pathway! ---Joe Long

Some Sweet Ladies!

My 2008 Advent Wreath

Celebrating Saint Andrew

St. Andrew's Day is the Sunday nearest the feast of Saint Andrews and begins the church season of Advent. Gilbert and I donned our Scottish regalia and attended this year's event that marked the forty-first celebration of Saint Andrew's Day by the St. Andrew's Society of the Middle South. Gilbert is a past president of the society. This year he had the honor of marching in behind the piper to bring the traditional haggis for its blessing, followed by the reading of the poem by Robert Burns "Ode to the Haggis". It is said that the fisherman Andrew was the first to recognize and follow Jesus and upon doing so, he immediately went and brought his brother, Simon Peter to Jesus. May we all follow his example and be "fishers of men". Posted below is more detail on Andrew for you:

Andrew the Apostle, 30 November NT

Most references to Andrew in the New Testament simply include him on a list of the Twelve Apostles, or group him with his brother, Simon Peter. But he appears acting as an individual three times in the Gospel of John. When a number of Greeks (perhaps simply Greek-speeking Jews) wish to speak with Jesus, they approach Philip, who tells Andrew, and the two of them tell Jesus (Jn 12:20-22). (It may be relevant here that both "Philip" and "Andrew" are Greek names.) Before Jesus feeds the Five Thousand, it is Andrew who says, "Here is a lad with five barley loaves and two fish." (Jn 6:8f) And the first two disciples whom John reports as attaching themselves to Jesus (Jn 1:35-42) are Andrew and another disciple (whom John does not name, but who is commonly supposed to be John himself -- John never mentions himself by name, a widespread literary convention). Having met Jesus, Andrew then finds his brother Simon and brings him to Jesus. Thus, on each occasion when he is mentioned as an individual, it is because he is instrumental in bringing others to meet the Saviour. In the Episcopal Church, the Fellowship of Saint Andrew is devoted to encouraging personal evangelism, and the bringing of one's friends and colleagues to a knowledge of the Gospel of Christ.

Just as Andrew was the first of the Apostles, so his feast is taken to be the beginning of the Church Year. The First Sunday of Advent is defined to be the Sunday on or nearest his feast (although it could equivalently be defined as the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day).

Several centuries after the death of Andrew, some of his relics were brought by a missionary named Rule to Scotland, to a place then known as Fife, but now known as St. Andrew's, and best known as the site of a world-famous golf course and club. For this reason, Andrew is the patron of Scotland.

When the Emperor Constantine established the city of Byzantium, or Constantinople, as the new capital of the Roman Empire, replacing Rome, the bishop of Byzantium became very prominent. Five sees (bishoprics) came to be known as patriarchates: Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Byzantium. Now, the congregation at Rome claimed the two most famous apostles, Peter and Paul, as founders. Antioch could also claim both Peter and Paul, on the explicit testimony of Scripture, and of course Jerusalem had all the apostles. Alexandria claimed that Mark, who had been Peter's "interpreter" and assistant, and had written down the Gospel of Mark on the basis of what he had heard from Peter, had after Peter's death gone to Alexandria and founded the church there. Byzantium was scorned by the other patriarchates as a new-comer, a church with the political prestige of being located at the capital of the Empire, but with no apostles in its history. Byzantium responded with the claim that its founder and first bishop had been Andrew the brother of Peter. They pointed out that Andrew had been the first of all the apostles to follow Jesus (John 1:40-41), and that he had brought his brother to Jesus. Andrew was thus, in the words of John Chrysostom, "the Peter before Peter." As Russia was Christianized by missionaries from Byzantium, Andrew became the patron not only of Byzantium but also of Russia.

Andrew is the national saint of Scotland and of Russia. George is the national saint of England, Patrick of Ireland, and Dewi (David) of Wales. Patrick and David were among the first to preach the Gospel in their respective countries, and George was declared patron of England by King Richard I ("the Lion-Heart") after he appeared to Richard in a vision while Richard was fighting the First Crusade around 1200. George, who was a soldier, is customarily pictured as a knight with a shield that bears a red cross on a white background. This design is therefore the national flag of England. It is said that Andrew was crucified on a Cross Saltire -- an 'X' -shaped cross. His symbol is a Cross Saltire, white on a blue background. This is accordingly the national flag of Scotland. A symbol of Patrick is a red cross saltire on a white background. The crosses of George and Andrew were combined to form the Union Jack, or flag of Great Britain, and later the cross of Patrick was added to form the present Union Jack. Wales did not appear as such (sorry!). Whether there is a design known as the cross of David, I have no idea.

written by James Kiefer

ALMIGHTY God, who didst give such grace unto thy holy Apostle Saint Andrew, that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him without delay; Grant unto us all, that we, being called by thy holy Word, may forthwith give up ourselves obediently to fulfil thy holy commandments; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The End of Advent

Thanks to John Bankson for calling attention to this article....I agree. Everyone really really really needs to read this one. John says: "If you don’t have time right now, come back when you have time. Read it. Digest it. It’s really, really good, and really, really needed." REALLY!

Room Temperature or Freezer....don't refrigerate your bread!

My friend, Chris Jeffreys, came to visit and brought a book to me. It is titled: Home Comforts....the Art and Science of Keeping House. I've been married for almost 31 years....I wish I'd read this book earlier. Here's a tip I just learned about keeping bread fresh. "Bread becomes stale quickly at temperatures just above freezing and extremely slowly at temperatures just below freezing. So while freezing is a good way to keep bread fresh, refrigerating isn't. One investigation showed that at a refrigerated temperature of 46 degrees bread stales as much in one day as it would in six days at 86 degrees F. Moreover, the faster the bread is frozen, the less time it spends in the temperature near and above 32 degrees F and the less readily it goes stale." SO, you should either store your bread at room temperature or freeze it as quickly as you can....don't refrigerate your bread!

Festival of NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS

please join TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH for our annual FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS at Berney Points Baptist Church facility 2250 Blue Ridge Boulevard (I65 exit 254/Alford Avenue) Monday evening, December 22, 2008 6:30 PM refreshments afterwards The Lessons and Carols program intertwines Bible readings with traditional Advent and Christmas music, helping us enter more fully, liturgically and experientially, into the story of the coming of the Son of God into human history in human flesh to redeem us from the curse of sin and death. It evolved out of historic pre-Christmas celebrations and was first celebrated in its present format in the late nineteenth century at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge. www.trinity-pres.net