the The Newsletter for Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church
April 2015
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Do You Have An Adult Faith?
the
Liturgy of the Nails
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Holy Saturday Great Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday
When you’ve paid your money and have important arrangements riding on, say, a hotel reservation or an expensive airline flight, it’s prudent or required to confirm. To confirm. What could be simpler or clearer than to make sure what you’re doing, or saying, or buying, or believing? Since the 1971 declaration by our House of Bishops, Holy Baptism -- nothing more, nothing less -- has meant full inclusion in the Christian community. “Confirmation,” the bishops said, “should not be regarded as a procedure to add any admission to the sacraments or indicate any extra intention of belonging.” With that, and with every increasing visibility since then, the youngest children have been receiving communion and they are considered a full part of the church. And Confirmation has become, as you can read on page 412 in the Prayer Book, “a mature public affirmation of ... faith and commitment.”
Easter Monday Church Offices Closed
What is one affirming when one is confirmed? What is one doing, and what is the Bishop doing?
Bishop Visitation and Confirmation
First, the person being confirmed is saying “yes (again) to Christ.” What does that mean? It is intended as the mature, public affirmation of an animating power and motive, which is alive in the world and is known to us, mind and heart, in One who lived years ago but who leaps from scripture, from the sacraments, from life in community into
Volume 25, No. 11 Volume 27, No. 4
cont. on page 19
Rector Announces Retirement Plan In a letter, March 18, the Rector Bob Dannals announced his pending retirement at the end of September. Following is his letter to the Parish Dear People of Saint Michael and All Angels, I am writing to let you know of my intention to retire this fall as Rector of Saint Michael and All Angels. I do so with mixed emotions because these eight years with you have been robust, full of many wonderful aspects of mission and ministry. As I consider this news with you, my primary emotion is one of profound gratitude! cont. on page 4