Saint James the Great Anglican Church Smiths Station, Alabama A Mission of the Anglican Province of America Fr John Klein can be reached at (334) 663-2985 / kleinjw@tigermail.auburn.edu Traditional, orthodox Anglicanism Catholic and Evangelical for modern people. Newsletter #14 - September 1, 2017 Terra Sancta - Quod terra pro nobis promissa - Deo gratias et gratias ad fidelium populus ad ecclesiam S. James. Holy land - The Promised Land for us - Thanks be to God and thanks to the faithful people at St. James' Church.
On Friday August 25th, by the grace of Almighty God, we closed on our church property. This was the culmination of a year's work and prayer. Some said we could never do it, but with the Grace of God all things are possible. I want to stress that all of our people at Saint James' did everything in their power to realize this dream. Thanks be to God, for the prayers of Saint James, for the support of our parishioners, for friends, and for generous benefactors who believed we could do it. The picture is of (L to R) Linda Wilkins Klein, Rick Carpenter our realtor, Fr John Klein, Rudi Pittman son of Dagmar Mason RIP, who was our landlord and patron from the beginning, and our banker C. Eddie Smith, Jr. President of Auburn Bank in Opelika. The card on the table, frontcenter, is a prayer card for Dagmar Mason. For those who don't know, we purchased three acres, a large parking lot, a wooded lot fronting on the railroad tracks, and two buildings. The first building is our church, the second a beauty parlor from which we receive rent every month. This increases our growth potential and immediately helps our budget. Plus, we are in the most prominent location in Smiths Station.
Some Pastoral words from Father Klein I have enjoyed the support and the prayer breakfasts that our Mayor "Bubba" Copeland has instituted with the local clergy. In this time such church and government relationships are rare. Throughout our planting of this mission, the Mayor of Smiths Station, and his staff, have helped us. We are set to help him too. Last Tuesday he informed the clergy that in the event of a natural disaster all of the local churches were on the first-called emergengy relief list. It's nice to be appreiciated, needed and shows that no matter how small a congregation, authentic Christian witness is noticed. So too, are our flowers - largely tended by my wife Linda - in fact, on Tuesday the assistant pastor of Smiths Station Baptist Church, across the street from us, in the center of town, praised our beautiful flowers. We are being welcomed by all. The mayor asked us to describe a time when God was fatithful to us. When my turn came, I told the story of how Christ walked beside me to the altar at Holy Child, Holly Hill, Florida in 1973. Most of you know the story. It was a powerful witness, perhaps many didn't know if Anglicans had one to give? We are part of our community and reaching out. Fr John Klein
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643 1704) Panis angelicus The bread of angels Fit panis hominum; Becomes the bread of man; Dat panis coelicus The bread of heaven Figuris terminum: Gives an end to all symbols: O res mirabilis! O wondrous thing! Manducat Dominum The body of the Lord Pauper, servus et humilis. Nourishes the poor, the servant, and the humble. Oil on canvass by Paul Armesto, 2016 [yes, a very contemorary painting] Our choir is learning Panis Angelicus by Charpentier. This is much less familiar than the everpopular Cesar Frank's composition of Panis Angelicus. It is a unison setting with Mason Marten's accompaniment somewhat improved by our own Alexey Truscheckin. We are so proud of our four singers who work very hard to accomplish such beauty. In the next few weeks their hard work will come to fruition. JWK+
Sundays after Mass we will be reading Rod Dreher s new book: The Benedict Option (New York: Sentinel, 2017). This book is fascinating. We see it as a blueprint for our way forward in this increasingly un-christian world. We aren't monks, however, we think that what we are doing at Saint James' is The Benedict Option. Come join us every Sunday at the coffee hour class following our 11:00 a.m. (ET) Eucharist; we would love to have you do so.
Father Klein s Pilgrimage to the Holy Land January 31 February 9, 2018 Time to sign-up is running out. Tell all your friends about this. Better yet, come see Galilee and trace the footsteps of Jesus. Join me on a journey to Jerusalem and the holy sights of our Lord s ministry next year. If you have a mom or dad who has always wanted to go to the Holy Land, give them this gift. Perhaps friends who go on cruises every year, this is the best ever. I think all Christians, if they can afford the time and treasure, owe it to themselves to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The package price - including airfare on Delta Airlines, four star hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, all entrance fees, a trained guide and Father Klein as the spiritual director of the pilgrimage - is $2945.00 per person. There will also be some airport taxes and gratuities to the driver. This is a ten day religious pilgrimage in a traditional, orthodox Anglican manner. We will pray Morning and Evening Prayer daily, celebrate the Eucharist at major holy sites including the Sermon on the Mount site and the Garden Tomb, and sing sacred hymns in the holiest settings. We will even carry a wooden cross along the Via Dolorosa as we walk the Way of the Cross. Come and see, see so many places that will enlighten your understanding of the Bible and our Faith For the itinerary please see: https://www.explority.com/groups/nli/58d7b4ed61061600047b7fff?org=ami-travel
The Way of the Cross in Jerusalem The Anglican Province of America has a wonderful web page with much useful information such as the upcoming Anglican Joint Synod, which is October 2-6 in Dunwoody, Georgia. See: https://anglicanprovince.org/ Birthdays: Eugene Wagnon, September 22nd Victoria Elizabeth Thornburg, September 30th Calendar: Wednesday Mass and Bible Study Signs and Sayings - at 6:00 P.M Sundays, Eucharist at 11:00 A.M. (EDT) followed by Coffee Hour-Adult Class. We continue with Rod Dreher s book The Benedict Option. Supper with the Saints will be on Friday evening soon to be announced, after supper, which begins at 6:00 P.M. We will continue to watch Mary of Nazareth, an epic film on the Mother of Christ, eminently suitable for inviting guests. The Joint Anglican Synod is October 2-6 in Dunwoody
Some ways in which we Anglicans are different from other churches: We believe that the Truth as found in Christ is revealed through a collaboration of Scripture, Tradition, and Reason in harmony. The Bible is primary because it contains the record of the Word of God and "contains all things necessary to salvation." Tradition is the preaching and teaching of the Universal Church on the Bible over 2000 years. Reason is not just our minds unaided by God, but is rather thought and contemplation on the Scriptures and Tradition guided by the Holy Spirit. The Historic Episcopate in Apostolic Succession is essential to the fullness of the Church. Our bishops have received the laying-on-of-hands by other bishops who were ultimately consecrated by the Apostles who bore Jesus authority to do so. To be validly ordained a deacon, priest or bishop one must be so consecrated by a bishop in the Apostolic Succession. This is paramount. We believe the basic unit of the Church is the bishop in his diocese - however that jurisdiction may be structured. The bishop and his people is the fundamental cell in the Universal Church. Every bishop is equal - although some exercise greater jurisdictional authority, as for example in a province - to every other bishop ordained in the Apostolic Succession and is a successor of the Apostles. All of these bishops, the world over, could in a united Church meet solemnly to decide weighty matters as did the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. No bishop or groups of bishops can decide such matters independently. We reject the nineteenth-century notion of Papal Infallibility. The Pope is simply the Bishop of Rome and Patriarch of the West, who in a reunited Church may exercise some primacy over at least the Western Church. We are a Sacramental Church. Sacraments are "outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself." The Sacraments - seven in number - are efficacious signs, that is they effect that which they signify. God acts firsts in the Sacraments - preveniently, that is before we can respond - thus, while the effect in our lives may depend upon our faithfulness, God's action is certain, indelible. Thus, we do not re-baptize
anyone properly baptized with water in the Name of the Holy Trinity. One must be baptized to receive any other Sacrament. Likewise, in the Holy Communion or Mass, we believe Christ's promise; that he is truly, objectively, really present under the forms of bread and wine. He comes to us, he gives us his Body and Blood in the Sacrament. Furthermore, his presence remains in the consecrated elements and we reserve them in tabernacles for the Communion of the sick and house-bound as well as for the Veneration and Adoration of the faithful. Some ways in which we Anglicans are like other orthodox Christian Churches: We believe in One God in Trinity of persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are Trinitarian Christians. The Church's Faith does not change. The culture changes but not the Truth as it is reveled in Jesus Christ. His Church is the steward and heir of the Sacred Deposit of that Tradition and must never change it or compromise it in any way. The method and style of the Church's ministry may vary from time to time and from place to place but the truth is eternal. He who would know this truth must first know Jesus who is "The Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by him." This Faith is summarized in The Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. The Holy Scriptures are a record of God's Revelation mankind culminating in the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible can never be dispensed with, nor interpreted contrary to its own coherent, consistent message. It is essential. We believe Conversion and Sanctification are necessary for Salvation. We believe all people are sinners and in need of a Savior. That Savior is Jesus Christ. His At-One-Ment is the answer to the world's problems and sin. We believe Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity who was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. We believe in the Incarnation. Jesus Christ now risen and ascended is forever perfect God and perfect Man, two natures inseparably united in him. With all other orthodox Christians we believe Baptism and Holy Communion are "generally necessary to salvation."
We believe worship with a Christian congregation is vital. The Christian cannot ignore Christian fellowship. We believe in prayer. We believe the Holy Spirit guides individual Christians to follow Jesus. We believe the Holy Spirit guides the Church into all Truth. We believe Jesus bodily rose from the dead - we believe in the resurrection of our bodies - we believe that those who believe in Jesus will be raised with him in a soma pneumatikon, a spiritual body, in eternal life. Those who are "in Christ" will go to Heaven to be with God in glory. We believe Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. We are to be ready for his appearing. Saint James the Great by Peter Paul Rubens, 1610. Saint James: Pray for us: That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen