A Monthly Publication of St. Vincent‘s Cathedral Volume 112, Issue 12

December 2011

The Deacon

The King James Version: A Personal Testimony It is commonly said that the King James Version of the Bible (also known as the Authorized Version) has had a greater influence on the development of the English language than any other single text, with the collected works of William Shakespeare—the KJV‘s precise contemporary--being the only credible contender for that title. The KJV has sold far more copies than any other work written in the English language and has been quoted countless times in the literatures of many nations. By any standard the KJV is a monument to exalted English prose. And this year marks the four-hundredth anniversary of its publication in London. The literary world has good cause to celebrate this milestone.

But the translators of the KJV did not set out to create a literary masterpiece. Instead, their goal was to produce an essentially literal and highly readable version of the Bible that did not have a strong bias either for or against Calvinism. Indeed, the KJV joins the U.S. Constitution on the short list of successful and enduring compromises produced by committees composed of people holding widely differing views.

The Church of England in the late 1500‘s and early 1600‘s was racked by conflict over how far to take the Reformation. Some minis-ters were determined to remake the church in the image of Calvin‘s Geneva, while others wanted as little change from the traditions of the Middle Ages as possible. Liturgical reforms swung back and forth between these two poles throughout the era. And even the choice of Bibles used in public worship and private devotions was influenced by these debates. Those seeking to follow the Reformed Churches of southern Germany and Switzerland, who were by then referred to as the Puritans, typically used a Bible with marginal notes reflecting the theology of John Calvin. More ―mainstream‖ and ―conservative‖ Anglican churchmen used a version known as ―The Bishops‘ Bible.‖

When James VI of Scotland ascended to the throne of England in 1603 as King James I he was determined to promote national unity by reconciling the Puritans with the central stream of the Church of England. As part of this project the king appointed a commission composed of leading Anglican and Puritan scholars to produce a new, essentially-literal but easily-readable translation of the Bible. This ―Authorized Version‖ would be the only one endorsed for use in the established church, replacing the partisan Bishops‘ Bible and the ultra-Reformed Geneva Bible. It would take a compromise, middle-of-the-road approach on disputed doctrinal questions and would have no divisive marginal notes. The result of this committee‘s work was published in 1611 and quickly became the standard for public worship in England. It took a number of decades for the KJV to supplant the earlier versions in private homes but eventu-ally the people of England and her colonies came to take it to heart.

Knowing my fondness for the English Standard Version for serious Bible study, it might surprise you to learn that for my private devo-tions I normally read the Scriptures from the King James Version. This is in part an aesthetic choice. I find the rhythms and cadences of its early seventeenth-century English to be deeply moving, in the same way Archbishop Cranmer‘s stirring prose in the traditional Book of Common Prayer touches my heart and mind. For me these two books define ―religious speech.‖ That is how my soul longs to speak with our Lord and contemplate Him. For me the King James Version feels like the Bible in a way no other translation does.

(see KJV on page 2)

December 2011 Page 2

Front cover: The Nativity by Fra Angelico (1395-1455) is a fresco on the wall of Cell 5 in the Convent of San Marco, Florence, Italy.

Christmas Services Saturday, December 24th, Christmas Eve Services are at:

5:00 p.m., Children‘s Mass & Reception

7:30 p.m., Family Mass

11:00 p.m., Candlelight Mass

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES:

Sunday, December 25th, Christmas Day Holy Eucharist is at 10:00 a.m. with sermon and hymns.

Sunday, January 1st, (Feast of the Holy Name) Holy Eucha-rist is at 10:00 a.m. with sermon and hymns.

Diocesan Legal Defense Fund Rather than depend on just a few families to cover the costs of the litigation against the diocese, it is hoped that each con-cerned member of the Diocese will want to contribute to these rising expenses at this time. Thank you for your consideration of this important need, as well as your prayers.

Blessings, Bishop Iker

To send support to the Diocesan Legal Defense Fund, please make checks out to: Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth (Be sure to put Att: Rt. Rev. Iker in lower left corner of any check) Mail to: Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, 2900 Alemeda St., Fort Worth, TX 76018

Office Closures The Cathedral Office will be closed on December 26th and January 2nd.

Shepherd‟s Walk The Sunday School Students will have a Shepherd's Walk on Sunday, December 18th.

(during the regu-lar Sunday School time)

Jesse Tree The Sunday School students will have a Jesse Tree presenta-tion for Adult Forum on Sunday, Decem-ber 11th.

KJV But beyond the ―feel‖ of the KJV, two other considerations recommend it to me for daily devotional reading. The first is a practical advantage. The somewhat unfamiliar grammatical constructions and word usage of the KJV cause me to focus my attention on the text in way I simply cannot when I read a contemporary version. I am forced to pay attention to every word of the text and not simply read what I know the verse is supposed to say. And that attention to detail is a very good thing.

But the second reason why I read from the KJV daily is more spiritual, even mystical. I know that the KJV has shaped the lives and hearts of many generations of English-speaking Christians before me. When I read from the same Bible that our forbearers in the Faith treasured I can sometimes feel the reality of the communion of saints in an almost palpable way. Knowing that great Anglican divines such as George Herbert, John Wesley, or Charles Simeon prayed, studied, and taught precisely the words that I encountered today in Morning Prayer draws me closer to that great cloud of witnesses. Knowing that countless great missionaries and pioneers in the Faith have renewed their strength with those very same words strengthens my own resolve to stand firm in the face of adversity. This daily link with millions of faithful Christians who now rest with Christ in glory reminds me that I am not alone and that I am not free to cast aside the Faith they loved and passed on to me. I want to love Christ and serve Christ as they did. And for that reason I want to be fed by His Holy Word as they were, for ―strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age‖ (Heb 5:13 KJV). For me time spent each day with the King James Version keeps me grounded in the faith of our Fathers.

The Rev. Randall W. Foster

The Astute Anglicans is a group of fun loving 50+ individuals who gather the third Friday of each month in the Parish Hall for a Potluck Dinner and great fun after dinner. Some evenings we play games and other times we just have great conversations. Several times each year we go to events in the local area, we have gone to musicals, sporting events and whatever some-one proposes. Anyone who wants to have a fun eve-ning with good friends is invited to attend. Just show up at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall on the third Friday or call Rudy Jackson at 817-691-7555 for more de-tails.

Page 3 THE DEACON

Flower

Calendar Just a reminder to all who have donated altar flowers during the year and have not paid the $40 donation! Checks are made pay-able to St. Vincent‘s, marked FLOWERS, on the check.

Musical

Celebrations

at the

Cathedral

I hope many of you had the opportunity to hear the handbells performing with the Children‘s Choir on November 13th. It was a preview of the glorious sounds from all the music pro-grams throughout the church with the inclusion of the school that will be offered to the glory of God during the next month.

Sunday, December 4th at 6:00 p.m., will be the Annual Ad-vent Lessons and Carols Service followed by a potluck dinner in the Parish Hall. This year the St. Vincent‘s School Choir will sing in the service with the church choirs. Barbara Bur-ton, Music Director Emeritus, will play organ accompani-ments and Mrs. Susie Fergus, SVS Director, will lead the SVS choir. We hope to have a beautiful carol service with a won-derful celebration following. Not only is it important for the Cathedral to have the Lessons and Carols service, but it is important to reach out to the school community, especially with our special services during the preparation for Christ-mas.

Four days later, Thursday, December 8th at 6:00 p.m., the School will have their own Advent Lessons and Carols service led by Mrs. Fergus. If you have never attended the school‘s service I would certainly encourage you to do so. The Nave will be filled. This annual service has become a tradition and this year the Cathedral Choir will sing one piece at the school service. It is important to continue this golden thread of An-glican heritage through the singing of the choirs. The children need to not only hear but also see the adults performing, giv-ing of their time and talent in the church.

Christmas Eve‘s late service, which begins with the Carols and Anthems at 10:30 p.m., will be absolutely beautiful. How do I know? Because I can already hear it. Musicians work all their lives to develop the ability to hear the perfec-tion of a piece before they perform it. There might even be some musical surprises.

Christmas Day, December 25—10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with hymns

New Year‘s Day, January 1, 2012—10:00 a.m. Holy Eucha-rist with hymns.

I wish everyone a blessed Advent and joyous Christmas.

~Candace Bawcombe

December 2011 Page 4

Visit our website at

www.stvincentscathedral.org

Baptisms:

November 6, 2011 Madelyn Renee Hautanen

daughter of Jerald Dean Johnson & Alexandra Nikole Hautanen

Marriages:

November 5, 2011 Richard Raney & Allison Brittany Mack

November 17, 2011

Jerry Lambert & Karen Fletcher

December 10th

The Deacon is a monthly publication of St. Vincent‘s Cathe-dral in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. ©2011 All rights reserved. Comments, suggestions and offers to vol-unteer on future issues are encouraged.

Editor: Ron Turner, stvcdeacon@yahoo.com

Publisher: The Very Rev. Ryan S. Reed, SSC, Dean of St. Vincent‘s Cathedral

St. Vincent‟s Cathedral 1300 Forest Ridge Drive Bedford, Texas 76022 Telephone: 817-354-7911 www.stvincentscathedral.org

Bookstore Come and visit the newly restored Bookstore. New books, new gifts, and a new name.

Tolle Lege Books and Gifts

Advent Quiet Day Saturday, December 3, we are blessed to have Bishop Keith Ackerman as our leader, speaker, and teacher for Advent Quiet Day. This is a special opportunity to hear the Word of God in the most intimate, powerful way. This day is set aside for us to come into His presence and experience His love, His touch, His blessings, and healing.

Our day will begin at 9:00 a.m. in the main church with Holy Eucharist with unction and healing prayer, followed by a light breakfast in the Parish Hall at 9:45 a.m.

From 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., there will be Scripture meditation and silent prayer.

The noonday office will be said at 12:00 p.m., and then quiet meditation until 3:00 p.m. for those who choose to stay.

Healing happens. Come, and experience the power of the Risen Lord.

Schedule for Advent Quiet Day

9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with unction and healing prayer with Bishop Keith Ackerman

9:45 a.m. Light Breakfast in the Parish Hall

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Meditation and silent prayer (at least one meditation by the Bishop on healing prayer and min-istry)

Noonday Office

Quiet meditation until 3:00 p.m. for those who wish to stay

Please contact the office at 817-354-7911 to RSVP or contact Michelle Briggs at michellebriggs99@gmail.com or 214-557-1752.

SVS Advent Lessons and Carols

Service—December 8th The annual St. Vincent‘s School Advent Lessons and Carols service will take place on Thursday, December 8th. The ser-vice will feature the musical leadership of the SVS Choir, as well as carols sung by students in Kindergarten through Grade 3. Middle School students will also play handbells. Please join us at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 8, for an evening of worship and expectation. A reception will take place in the Parish Hall after the service.

Page 5 THE DEACON

You are invited to a SE Asia Symposium on January 26th and 27th at St. Vincent‘s Cathedral.

The Good News, the Anglican Church and SE Asia in the 21st Century

There are millions of people living in SE Asia who have never heard of Jesus. There is an urgent need for the Anglican Church in North America to partner with the Province of Southeast Asia to reach the people of Indonesia, Nepal, Viet-nam, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

A delegation from the Province of Southeast Asia will be pre-sent to inspire, inform, and personally answer your questions on how we can be involved on the very frontier of Anglican mission in the 21st Century.

On Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m., come to Evensong and hear testimony from The Rev. Tit Heing.

“God‟s Rescue from the Killing Fields,” the need for followers of Jesus in SE Asia

The Rev. Tit Heing is the first Cambodian priest in the Angli-can Communion. He met Christ in 1992 and was baptized in 1994 by the Rev. Don Cormack, author of Killing Fields, Liv-ing Fields. He now serves as vicar of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ our Peace, Phnom Penh. As Chairman of the Anglican Church of Cambodia Provisional Council, he over-sees the planting of churches in five rural provinces.

FOOD COLLECTION

SUNDAY, December 4th

N.E.E.D. (Northeast Emergency Distri-bution) needs your help, especially food items such as peanut butter, canned meats, canned vegetables, etc. There will be a special collection the first Sunday of each month. Please place your donations in the "Green N.E.E.D. Box" in the courtyard outside the narthex doors.

Special thanks to the children and volunteers at the summer Vacation Bible School who donated nearly two hundred pounds of canned and other food goods to N.E.E.D. It was the largest single donation they had received this summer and was greatly appreciated.

The Society of Mary

Ward of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth

Our December 3rd meeting will be at Holy Nativity, Plano (2200 18th Street. From Dallas, take US 75, Central Ex-pressway, north and exit on George Bush Turnpike. Stay in the exit lane and exit on Jupiter Road—there is no toll. Turn left (north) on Jupiter to 18th Street and turn left again. The church is the second building on the left. For those coming from the Northern Kingdoms, exit at Parker Road and go east to Jupiter. Turn right on Jupiter and right again onto 18th Street).

As per usual, Confessions at 10:30 a.m., followed by Mass and Rosary at 11:00 a.m. I know lunch will be served, lunch will be good, it always is. You do not have to be a member of the Society of Mary to attend the meetings. Any-one interested, please call Judy Bartko at 817-268-0660.

Our Lady Queen of Peace of Medjugorje‟s October 25, 2011, message for the world.

―Dear children! I am looking at you and in your hearts I do not see joy. Today I desire to give you the joy of the Risen One, that he may lead you and embrace you with His love and tenderness. I love you and am praying for your conver-sion without ceasing before my Son Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call.‖

Calendar Planning Meeting All heads of ministries and or-ganizations should make plans to attend a calendar planning meeting during Sunday School time on December 4th in the new Conference Room. If you cannot attend, please arrange to have someone in your organiza-tion represent you.

Below is a summary of October‘s giving. As you may remember, giving for September and the summer months was substantially down and there was concern that it was a trend that we would see continue through the end of the year.

The good news is that we saw a reversal of this trend in October. The pledge payments received in October matched almost exactly the budgeted amounts. In fact, they exceeded the budgeted amounts by a narrow margin of 0.5%. For the year, pledge payments remain below what was budgeted by 3% or approximately $16,000. We are hopeful that we may see this gap reduced slightly as we enter Advent.

Non-pledge giving (loose checks and plate offerings) was also above budgeted amounts for October. Loose checks were up 5% and plate offerings were up 33%. For the year, both loose checks and plate offerings have exceeded budgeted projections. This has helped to compensate for the short-fall in pledge payments.

On behalf of the Vestry and the Finance Committee, I would like to thank you for your participation in this year‘s stewardship cam-paign. A great big thank you also needs to go out to Tom Parham and the Stewardship Committee for tackling this difficult task. Through their hard-work, your commitments, and God‘s continued provisions, we do not expect to see any significant reductions to ministry. Through God‘s grace we can continue to focus on our mission as a parish – to make Jesus Christ known in all that we do.

~ Keal Cleveland Sr. Warden

―Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.‖ Ephesians 3:20-21

December 2011 Page 6

St. Vincent's Cathedral Church

October 2011

Actual

Budget

October

Jan-Oct

Actual

Jan-Oct

Budget

YTD

Variance

Operating Fund

Plate Offerings Cash $1,224 $917 $10,765 $9,167 $1,598

Prepaid Pledges $0 $0 $34,560 $34,560 $0

Pledge Payments $51,472 $51,203 $495,628 $512,028 ($16,399)

Non-Pledge Loose Checks $5,275 $5,000 $59,715 $50,000 $9,715

Total $57,971 $57,119 $600,667 $605,754 ($5,087)

Other Funds

Capital Expense Fund (DMR) $10,382 $2,023 $29,375 $20,233 $9,141

Mortgage Fund $6,880 $5,622 $53,666 $56,222 ($2,556)

Page 7 THE DEACON

Women’s Fellowship

December

All ladies of the parish are cordially invited to the annual Ad-vent Gathering on Wednesday, December 14th, 6:30 p.m. Join us at the home of Shannon Belanger for an evening of fellowship and fun and a short meeting to prepare for the new year. This is low-key and fun ladies! Give yourself a little ―downtime‖ to enjoy the company of your church family as we all anticipate the joyous celebration of the ultimate gift—the birth of Jesus. Bring a snack food or dessert to share. If you want to participate in the fun ―Left-Right Exchange game,‖ also bring a small gift (no more than $15-20) - this is totally optional. Don‘t worry about what to bring—just yourself and a friend would be perfect! Call or email Shannon or Gina to RSVP.

Shannon Belanger 1300 Woodborough Lane Keller, TX 76248 817-742-1355 (H) 817-602-6182 (C) sbelanger2@verizon.net

Gina Swann scottandginaswann@sbcglobal.net 817-797-5764

Other dates to put on your calendar are:

December 4th—Advent Lessons & Carols

If you can donate a plate of cookies for the reception, please bring them to the parish hall before the service. Let Gina or Julie Kirkwood know if you want to help set-up, serve, or clean-up after the service & reception.

December 4th through 18th—Angel of Giving

Sign-up to donate a gift to a family in need of our outreach and assistance. There are all different types of needs/opportunities—from food items to toys to clothing. Visit the Angel of Giving table each Sunday to sign-up, and deliver your items to the parish hall by the 18th for delivery. All items will be delivered Sunday the 18th. If you can volunteer to deliver, please let Gina, Brandi Jones, or Lynn Kalbfleisch know.

December 24th—Children‟s Christmas Eve service and reception

We will need help setting up, serving cake and punch, and cleaning-up. This reception is in between the early children‘s service and the 7:30 p.m. service.

January

January 11th—Potluck & Fellowship Meeting

This is our annual kick-off meeting for the year. New officers will be introduced, and Kelly Croak will officially be leading this group. Please join us and bring your mom, sister, neighbor, or friend. Emails & Facebook are great, but face-to-face fellowship is so much more fun! We need to get to-gether to share ideas and catch up with each other. Women‘s Fellowship is such a vital ministry to the parish—blessing to you all!

January 13th—15th (Friday night through Sunday morning) - Retreat at Camp Crucis

This is an annual trek to Camp Crucis for fellowship. There is some quiet time on Saturday for reading, studying, and re-flection—either alone or with the group. The focus is on creating connections in fellowship so that all women can feel welcome and a part of our beautiful St. Vincent‘s family. There is an outing to the town square for shopping, walking, and eating on Saturday evening (optional). Mass is celebrated on Sunday morning with a member of our clergy. If you‘ve never been, or been a hundred times, or just haven‘t been in a while, please talk with Gina about it—we would love to have you. There is still room. It is $73.50 to cover the reser-vation with Camp Crucis, plus a potluck dish to share either Friday evening or Saturday morning.

scottandginaswann@sbcglobal.net or 817-797-5764

November 2011 Page 8

The Keys to the Kingdom: An Exploration of the Par-ables of Jesus

The Shape of Things to Come: A Survey of the Book of Revelation

Refined in the Fire: The Religion of the 16th Century English Reformation (a super class for learning the history of the prayer book and what makes Anglicanism the ‗best show in town!‘)

Profiting from the Prophets: What the Old Testa-ment Prophets Have to Tell us Today

Being Happy, Though Married (a look at improving your marriage)

God Shed His Grace on Thee: A Survey of the Beliefs of Other Denominations in the United States

Reading Your Bible for All It‟s Worth

Hot Topics: Coming Face-to-Face With the Ideas That Challenge Us

And many, many more subjects and course offerings. There will be something for everyone. Sunday mornings between the 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. services will never be the same again. Watch your bulletins and future Deacons for topics and locations.

Read, Mark, Learn and Inwardly

Digest Them:

A Survey of the Book of Psalms The reading, meditating on, and singing of the psalms has always been an integral part of both Jewish and Christian worship and piety. At their heart the psalms are national and individual pleas for help, comfort, and provision to the only One from whom those things can come: Almighty God. But the psalms are so much more.

Beginning Tuesday evening, November 29, and running through Tuesday, December 20, Fr. Quintin Morrow will be teaching a class on the wonder of the psalms—what they are, how their use shapes our souls, and how to incorporate them in a powerful way into your own prayer life. You will dis-cover the glory of God and experience the greatest needs of the human heart. Come see and hear the psalms like you never have before!

The psalms survey is free and open to all. The sessions begin at 7:00 p.m. and meet in the new conference room. Please notify the office if childcare is needed.

And Now for Something Com-

pletely Different 2012 will see some exciting changes and additions to mission and ministry at St. Vincent‘s. One of these will be the intro-duction of new Christian formation classes for adults on Sun-day mornings during the education hour. Dean Reed and Fa-thers Foster, Cantrell, and Morrow will be presenting infor-mative and challenging adult educational opportunities for the entire Cathedral family. Some of the classes to be offered are:

Your Spiritual „Check-Up‟: How to Determine if You are a Growing Christian or Simply a Busy One

Answers to the 10 most Frequent Objections to Christianity by Atheists

The Nicene Creed: How We Got It and Why We Still Use It

Being a „Wise Guy‟: The Lessons of the Book of Prov-erbs

Money Matters: How to Make the Most of What God Has Given You (a great and informative way for you and your family to get out of debt)

The Religion of the Prayer Book: Believing What You Pray, and Knowing What You Believe

Christ and Culture: Being a Believer in a Hostile World

Page 9 THE DEACON

__________________________________________ Name

__________________________________________

Address

__________________________________________

Please see back for additional information.

Mortgage Fund

Total Annual Pledge: $______________

To be paid in equal amounts:

Church Operating Fund

Total Annual Pledge: $______________

To be paid in equal amounts:

Improvements/DMR Fund

Total Annual Pledge: $______________

To be paid in equal amounts:

Credit Card Payment Option

____ I would like to pay my pledge by CREDIT CARD. I understand that my pledge will be charged in 12 MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS to be deducted on the 15th of each month (or the clos-

est business day).

___ VISA ___ MASTERCARD

__________________________________________ Name of Cardholder

__________________________________________

Card Number

__________________________________________

Expiration Date

__________________________________________

Security Code (from back of card)

are an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace. Not that a pledge is a sacrament, but we as human be-ings need these outward signs.

At the Parish Meeting, there will be two committee re-ports—Stewardship and Finance. These are related commit-tees but they have different purposes. Stewardship is about you and me being stewards of what God has entrusted to us. It is one of the ways that we grow closer to God by recogniz-ing that it is not our money but God‘s money. Stewardship is primarily about our spiritual growth as Christians.

Finance, by contrast, is how the vestry uses the funds that St. Vincent‘s receives to ―Make Jesus Christ known in all that we do.‖ This involves paying the clergy and staff, maintaining the building, paying for property insurance, paying the diocesan assessment, and many more things. There is the obvious rela-tionship between the two committees, but they are distinct.

Don‘t think Stewardship ends when the pledge cards are turned in. That is when it begins and because 2012 is a leap year, we will have 366 days of Stewardship!

Stewardship 365 We are finishing up the pledge portion of our Stewardship campaign. If you have not pledged, please consider making a commitment. I guess it is human nature, but I make lots of commitments to myself (exercise, eat right, lose weight) but I have no problem breaking them. Making a commitment to someone else is a little different. Our Christian sacraments

December 2011 Page 10

Advent Wreath Prayers and

Scripture Readings The Advent Wreath is a tradition of Advent, the Christian season immediately preceding Christmas. The Advent Wreath, which includes prayers and Bible readings associated with Advent, is a popular tradition and often used in homes and in churches.

The Advent wreath was likely first used as a Christian devo-tion in the Middle Ages. The design was borrowed from the customs of pre-Christian peoples, who used candles and greenery as symbols during the dark and dead winter, to rep-resent light and life. The Advent Wreath is a circular ever-green wreath with four or five candles, three purple, one rose, and (if you use the five-candle model), one white one for Christmas Day. If used, the white candle is placed in the center. Some Protestant traditions have been using 4 blue candles recently. However, Catholics still use the traditional colors because they dually symbolize both royalty and peni-tence, two important Advent themes. A wreath may be hand-crafted of real or artificial materials, or may be purchased at craft and candle stores. The candles symbolize the light of Christ coming into the world. The evergreen symbolizes re-newal in Christ, the kind of renewal hoped for by those be-fore Christ's first coming, and the ultimate renewal we long for in Christ's second coming. The circular shape symbolizes the completeness of God. It is likely the symbolism came after the actual wreath was conceived of, but that does not detract from the power of the symbols.

The candle colors are derived from the traditional liturgical colors of Advent and Christmas, purple and white respec-tively. The rose color likely is derived from an old Catholic custom of wearing rose colored vestments on the third Sun-day in Advent (and fourth Sunday in Lent), called Gaudete Sunday, i.e. "Rejoice" Sunday. Each candle is first lit on the appropriate Sunday of Advent, and then the candles may be lit each day as a part of the individual or family's daily prayers. Certain candles have been given various names.

Some systems name the candle as follows: Candle 1. Hope (purple) Candle 2. Peace (purple) Candle 3. Joy (rose; the corresponding Sunday is "Gaudete Sunday") Candle 4. Love (purple) Candle 5. Christ (white)

Since the Advent Wreath is a devotion, there are a variety of ways to make use of it, and we encourage you to develop your own customs and prayers if you wish, based in Scripture and Church Tradition. The service we provide below is a good guide to get you started, and can be expanded upon. You may choose to light the wreath only on Sundays, how-ever some families light the wreath daily to more fully cele-brate Advent. Many Catholics and non-Catholics like to get their wreaths blessed by a priest before using them.

First Sunday and Week of Advent

Blessing for the Advent Wreath (by laypersons): O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth thy blessing upon this wreath and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the Coming of Christ, and may receive from thee abundant graces. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Directions Light the first purple candle

Prayer:

Stir up thy power, O Lord, and come, that by thy protection we may be rescued from the dangers that beset us through our sins; and be a Redeemer to deliver us; Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Scriptures: Isaiah 11:1-10 Luke: 1:26-38 Isaiah 7:10-14 Matthew 1:18-24

Second Sunday and Week of Advent

Directions Light the 1st purple candle (repeat first week's prayer) Light the 2nd purple candle

Prayer:

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the paths of thine Only-begotten Son: that we may worthily serve thee with hearts purified by His coming: Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Scriptures: Micah 5:2 Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11 Isaiah 2:1-5 Matthew 3:1-6

Third Sunday and Week of Advent

Directions Light the 1st purple candle (repeat 1st week's prayer) Light the 2nd purple candle (repeat 2nd week's prayer) Light the rose candle

Prayer:

We beseech thee to listen to our prayers, O Lord, and by the grace of thy coming enlighten our darkened minds: Thou who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Page 11 THE DEACON

Prayer Bear Time The Prayer Bear Ministry will be collecting teddy bears for the children of Cook Medical Center. The bears must be new and any size. The collec-tion box will be in the Narthex, beginning Sun-day, November 13th, through December 11th.

Our drive in the summer did not produce an abun-dance of bears. We pray for a better response in the winter drive.

Cook Medical has opened up a new wing and therefore can use many bears to distribute to the sick children. Each child, no matter the age, is given a bear when they are admitted to the Hospital. They are told this means someone is praying for them.

For any questions, please contact Beverly or Angie Ulmer.

Thanks so much!

Advent Wreath Prayers and

Scripture Readings (continued) Scriptures: Isaiah 9:6-7 John 1:19-34 Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Philippians 2:1-11

Fourth Sunday and Week of Advent

Directions Light the 1st purple candle (repeat 1st week's prayer) Light the 2nd purple candle (repeat 2nd week's prayer) Light the rose candle (repeat 3rd week's prayer) Light the 4th purple candle

Prayer:

Pour forth thy power, O Lord, and come: Assist us by that mighty power, so that by thy grace and merciful kindness we may swiftly receive the salvation that our sins impede: Who livest and reignest with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Scriptures: Malachi 3:1-5 Romans 8:18-25 Isaiah 52:7-10 Revelation 21:1-4

Christmas Day and Christmas Tide

Directions for 5-Candle Wreaths Light 4 preceding candles (repeat each week's prayer while lighting them) Light the center white candle

Directions for 4-Candle Wreaths Replace all Advent Candles with White Candles and Light

Prayer:

God of love, Father of all, the darkness that covered the earth has given way to the bright dawn of your Word made flesh. Make us a people of this light. Make us faithful to your Word that we may bring your life to the waiting world. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scriptures: Isaiah 9:1-6 Luke 2:1-20 John 1:1-18 Titus 2:11-14

St. Vincent’s School Please join us for the following events:

December 2: Barnes & Noble Book Fair & Gift Wrap Event 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., at Barnes & Noble (near NE Mall)

December 8: SVS Advent Lessons & Carols 6:30 p.m.

December 2011 Page 12

Following last months‘ article about Advent hymns, I thought it would be appropriate to write about some Anglo-Catholic Christmas hymns.

“O Come All Ye Faithful” – The text of this favorite Christ-mas processional is unknown and disputed, although may have been written in the 13th century by John of Reading, though some say that John Francis Wade, the creator of the tune (Adeste Fideles) is the author. The hymn originally had four verses and has been extended to eight and into many languages, though the English ―O Come All Ye Faithful‖ translation by the English Roman Catholic priest Frederick Oakeley is widespread. This carol has served as the second to the last hymn sung at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in King‘s College Choir, Cambridge (see this YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLIdT8DFI0)

“Once in Royal David’s City” – is a Christmas carol written as a poem first in 1848 by Cecil Frances Alexander and pub-lished in the hymnbook Hymns for Little Children. A year later it was put to music by organist Henry John Gauntlett. The hymn refers to Bethlehem, the birthplace of King David. Theologically, the poem expands upon the childhood of Jesus which is not told in detail in any of the Four Gospels. Being a children‘s poem, it largely dwells on the more palatable as-pects of the Nativity story, while the last verse being an ex-ample of Victorian morality. Since 1919, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at the King's College Chapel Cambridge has begun its Christmas Eve service with Dr Arthur Henry Mann's arrangement of "Once in Royal David's City" as the Processional hymn (see this YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMGMV-fujUY)

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” – first appeared in 1739 in the Hymns and Sacred Poems, having been written by Charles Wesley. However, the version widely known today was not the original. Wesley, a somber man, requested and received slow and solemn music for his lyrics, not the joyful tune we now use. In 1855, English musician William Cummings adapted the tune Festgesang to fit the lyrics of the hymn. Wesley had envisioned the song to be sung to the same tune as Christ the Lord is Risen Today and, in some hymnals is in-cluded along with the more popular version. This hymn is regarded as one of the Great Four Anglican Hymns (see You-T u b e - h t t p : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / w a t c h ?v=LDPwNPAV6tA – St. Paul‘s Cathedral, London).

“The Angel Gabriel” – or also known as Gabriel’s Message is a Basque Christmas folk carol about the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary by the Archangel Gabriel that she was to become the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. It quotes the biblical account of that event (Luke, Chapter 1, verses 26-38) and Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1.46-55) with the opening lines. It was collected by Charles Bordes and paraphrased into English by Sabine Baring-Gould. It is commonly performed in an ar-rangement by Edgar Pettman published in his 1892 book Mod-ern Christmas Carols. (see YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pliqObTHxUQ)

“Angels We Have Heard on High” - is a Christmas carol. The song commemorates the story of the birth of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel of Luke, in which shepherds outside Bethlehem encounter a multitude of angels singing and prais-ing the newborn child. The words of the song are based on a traditional French carol known as Les Anges dans nos campagnes (literally, "Angels in our countryside") composed by an un-known author in Languedoc, France. That song has received many adjustments or alignments including its most common English version that was translated in 1862 by James Chadwick, the Roman Catholic bishop of Hexham and New-castle, north east England. The carol quickly became popular in the West Country, where it was described as 'Cornish' by R.R. Chope, and featured in Pickard-Cambridge's Collection of Dorset Carols.

“Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” - is a Christmas carol and Marian Hymn of German origin. The text is thought to be penned by an anonymous author, and the piece first appeared in print in the late 16th century. The hymn has been used by both Catholics and Protestants, with the focus of the song being Mary or Jesus, respectively. The tune most familiar today appears in the Speyer Hymnal (printed in Cologne in 1599), and the familiar harmonization was written by Ger-man composer Michael Praetorius in 1609.[1] The tune was used by Johannes Brahms as the basis for a chorale prelude for organ, later transcribed for orchestra by Erich Leinsdorf, and by Hugo Distler as the basis for his 1933 oratorio Weihnachts-geschichte (Christmas Story). The English translation "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" was written by Theodore Baker in 1894.

~David Johnson

Page 13 THE DEACON

The Society of Mary is an Anglican devotional society dedi-cated to and under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is a group of Anglican Christians ―dedicated to the Glory of God and the Holy Incarnation of Christ under the invocation of Our Lady, Help of Christians.‖ The Anglican Society of Mary is not to be confused with the two Roman Catholic reli-gious orders of the same name commonly called the Marists and the Marianists.

The stated objectives of the society are:

To love and honor Mary

To spread devotion to her in reparation for past neglect and mis-understanding

To take Mary as a model in purity, per-sonal relationships, and family life

Members of the society keep a rule of life that includes traditional Marion devotions (such as the Angelus and Rosary), intercession for the faithful departed members of the society, participation in Mass on the major Marion feasts and solemnities and active engagement in apostolic work.

In locations where there are a number of members they may come together to form local organizations called ―wards‖ or ―cells.‖ These groups gather for prayer and fellowship.

The society‘s magazine, called AVE, is published three times a year.

The Society of Mary began in 1931 as the combination of two other societies: The Confraternity of Our Lady (formed in 1880) and the League of Our Lady (formed in 1902). The American region of the society received its independence in 1962. Although Anglican in origin there are non-Anglican members of the society and they can be found all over the world. The main regional organizations are in England and the United States.

The major festivals of the society are:

February 2: Purification of St. Mary the Virgin March 25: Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary May 31: Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary August 15: Saint Mary the Virgin (The Assumption) September 8: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary October 15: Our Lady of Walsingham November 21: Presentation of Mary December 8: Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

November 2011 Page 14

Saints & Feasts

December 1 ~ Charles de Foucauld, Hermit in the Sahara, 1916 December 3 ~ Francis Xavier, Jesuit Missionary, Apostle of the Indies, 1552 December 4 ~ John of Damascus, Monk, Teacher of the Faith, c.749 December 4~ Nicholas Ferrar, Deacon, Founder of the Little Gidding Community, 1637 December 6 ~ Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, c.326 December 7 ~ Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Teacher of the Faith, 397 December 8 ~ The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary December 13 ~ Lucy, Martyr at Syracuse, 304 December 13 ~ Samuel Johnson, Moralist, 1784 December 14 ~ John of the Cross, Poet, Teacher of the Faith, 1591 December 17 ~ O SAPIENTIA December 17 ~ Eglantine Jebb, Social Reformer, Founder of ‗Save The Children‘, 1928 December 24 ~ Christmas Eve December 25 ~ CHRISTMAS DAY December 26 ~ Stephen, Deacon, First Martyr December 27 ~ John, Apostle and Evangelist December 28 ~ The Holy Innocents December 29 ~ Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr, 1170 December 31 ~ John Wyclif, Reformer, 1384

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs”. And he laid his hands on the children and went on his way.

Matthew 19:14

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a program de-signed specially for very young children 3-6. Sophia Cavalletti created the program to help the children in her care to develop a closer relationship with God. Re-alizing the religious potential of the child she believes that benefits of the catechesis, for even the littlest chil-dren, is also a gift to the church. Using child sized mate-rials and specialized items used in the Mass, the children gain an age appropriate understanding of the Church‘s function in our relationship with the Father. In addition to lessons in the infancy narratives, Jesus‘ parables and events in the liturgical year, the children learn grace and

The Friends

of

St. Benedict For Benedict, commu-nity was not simply the place where one seeks God but its vital means. It's been said that his genius was to situate the individual search for

God within a communal context that shaped as well as sup-ported the quest. The well-balanced Rule of St. Benedict has sustained over 1,500 years of Benedictine monasteries around the world and is centered on the Gospel. Our group attempts to learn ways to apply this Rule into our 21st century secular lives and to form a monastic group one afternoon a month. We gather at 12:45 p.m.; then at 1:00 p.m., we pray the noonday prayers, enjoy lunch and study a chapter of the Rule, and end at 2:30 p.m. This group includes members from around the Metroplex and is ecumenical. As the Rule states: "All guests are to be welcomed as Christ." The Friends of St. Benedict, a Benedictine Community, meets the third Sunday of each month. Contact Rick Briggs for more information at 214-557-4814 or email at rsbriggs56@gmail.com.

courtesy, prayers and practical methods. All these elements encourage the child to fully understand the world God cre-

ated as well and allow them to gain a greater participa-tion in the life of the church. Children who start with the catechesis soon are ready for first communion class, and later have a desire to serve the church with a greater understanding of their role and purpose. What a great way to start a life of stewardship.

All children ages 3 to 6 (through first grade) are wel-come to join us in the Atrium which in located in the North Hall of the lower school, during the 9:00 service and then join their parents and the congregation for Eucharist.

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Page 15 THE DEACON

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 4:00p-9:00p, St. Vincent‘s School Book Fair & Gift Wrap Event (Barnes & No-ble, NE Mall)

3 9:00a, Advent Quiet Day 10:30a, Society of Mary, Holy Nativity (Plano)

4 Angel of Giving N.E.E.D. Food Collec-tion 8:00a, Parish Breakfast (Missions) 10:30a, Calendar Planning Meeting 10:45a, The Apostolic Age

5 7:30p, Fr. Foster‘s Class 7:30p, Bell Choir Rehearsal

6 7:00p, Fr. Morrow‘s Class

7 5:30p, Children‘s Choir Rehearsal 6:30p, Finance Com-mittee 6:15p, AYC 7:15p, Cathedral Choir Rehearsal

8 6:00p, SVS Lessons & Carols

9

10 DEACON DEAD-LINE

11 Angel of Giving 8:00a, Parish Breakfast (Missions) 10:30a, The Jesse Tree 10:45a, The Apostolic Age

12 7:30p, Fr. Foster‘s Class 7:30p, Bell Choir Rehearsal 7:30p, Vestry

13 7:00p, Fr. Morrow‘s Class 7:00p, DOK

14 5:30p, Children‘s Choir Rehearsal 5:30p, School Com-mittee 6:15p, AYC 7:15p, Cathedral Choir Rehearsal

15

16 7:00p, Astute Angli-cans

17

18 Angel of Giving Women‘s Fellowship Bake Sale 8:00a, Parish Breakfast (Missions) 10:30a, Shepherd‘s Walk 10:45a, The Apostolic Age

19 6:00p, Bell Choir Rehearsal 7:30p, Fr. Foster‘s Class (L) 7:30p, Vestry

20 7:00p, Fr. Morrow‘s Class

21 5:30p, Children‘s Choir Rehearsal 6:15p, AYC 7:15p, Cathedral Choir Rehearsal

22

23

24 Christmas Eve 5:00p, Children‟s Mass & Reception 7:30p, Mass 11:00p, Candlelight Mass

25 Christmas Day 10:00a, Holy Eucha-rist with Sermon & Hymns

26 7:30p, Fr. Foster‘s Class (L) 7:30p, Bell Choir Rehearsal OFFICE CLOSED

27 28 5:30p, Children‘s Choir Rehearsal 5:30p, School Com-mittee 6:15p, AYC 7:00p, Cathedral Choir Christmas Party

29 30 31

DECEMBER 2011

Wednesday‟s Schedule 8:40a, Morning Prayer 9:00a, Holy Eucharist 10:00am, Dean‘s Bible Study 5:00p, Evening Prayer 6:00p, Rosary Ministry

Sunday‟s Schedule 7:05am, Morning Prayer 7:30am, Holy Eucharist 9:00am, Choral Eucharist 10:30am, Christian Education 10:30am, Women‘s Bible Study 10:45am, Basic Christian-ity (L) 11:30am, Holy Eucharist 6:00pm, Evening Prayer

Tuesday‟s Schedule 6:30am, Holy Eucharist 7:00am, Men‘s Bible Study (conf) following Holy Eucharist 9:00a, Morning Prayer 5:00p, Evening Prayer

Thursday‟s Schedule 9:00a, Morning Prayer 6:40p, Evening Prayer 7:00p, Holy Eucharist

Saturday‟s Schedule 8:00a-8:30a, Confession 8:40a, Morning Prayer 9:00am, Holy Eucharist with Weekly Healing Service 5:00p, Evening Prayer

Monday‟s Schedule 9:00a, Morning Prayer 12:00n, Holy Eucharist 5:00p, Evening Prayer

Friday‟s Schedule 9:00am, Morning Prayer 12:00n, Holy Eucharist 5:00p, Evening Prayer

6:00p, Advent Lessons & Carols and Parish Potluck following

12:45p, Friends of St. Benedict

Clergy

The Right. Rev. Jack Leo Iker SSC, Bishop of Fort Worth

The Right Rev. William C. Wantland, Assisting Bishop The Very Rev. Ryan S. Reed, SSC, Dean

The Rev. Canon Richard A. Cantrell, SSC The Rev. Canon Randall W. Foster, School Chaplain

The Rev. John Kalimi, African Fellowship The Rev. Quintin Morrow, Assistant

The Rev. Mr. Kerwin K. Wade, Deacon

Administration

Candace Bawcombe Music Director & Organist Peter Kane Cathedral & School Business Administrator Virginia Butchard Receptionist Barbara Wojnicki Facilities Manager Ken Monk Head of School

Vestry

Mrs. Keal Cleveland, Sr. Warden Scott Siek, Jr Warden Chris Webb, Treasurer§ Don Bendure, Clerk§

Tom Crook Susan Frey Jake Hart Mark Jeffers Joe Kalbfleisch Sam Kayem Rob Shattuck Liz Ward Don Young Stephen Thompson § non-vestry appointed

Address Service Requested

Non-Profit Org. Permit No. 58 US Postage Paid Bedford TX

Sunday Morning Prayer .......................................... 7:05am Holy Eucharist ........................................... 7:30am Choral Eucharist ........................................ 9:00am Christian Education ................................ 10:30am Holy Eucharist ......................................... 11:30am Evening Prayer ........................................... 6:00pm Evensong is offered on select Sunday evenings at 6:00pm

All weekday services take place in St. Mary’s Chapel

Weekday

Morning Prayer Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday ........................................................... 9:00am Wednesday & Saturday ............................. 8:40am

Holy Eucharist Monday, Friday ........................................12:00pm Tuesday ....................................................... 6:30am Wednesday .................................................. 9:00am Thursday ..................................................... 7:00pm Saturday (Healing Service) ....................... 9:00am

Evening Prayer Daily (except Thursday)............................ 5:00pm Thursday ..................................................... 6:40pm

Confession Saturdays .................................... 8:00a.m.-8:30a.m

(or by appointment)

St. Vincent’s uses the 1979 Book of Common Prayer as its standard form of worship

www.stvincentscathedral.org