We seek to "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,"  following the Anglican liturgy found in the Book of Common Prayer (1928) and the Anglican Missal. 

During the Coronavirus Restrictions, we are required to close the church to public worship. On Sundays and Holy Days, Morning Prayer will be read at 9.00 AM, the Holy Eucharist offered at 9.30, and Evening Prayer will be read at 4.00 PM. 

Sundays

7.35 AM Morning Prayer 

8.00 AM Holy Eucharist (said) 

9.15 Bible Class 

10.30 AM Holy Eucharist (sung) 

11.45 AM Fun, Food and Fellowship  

As much fun, food and fellowship as Anglicans allow themselves to have

1.00 PM - Evening Prayer during the summer

4.00 PM - Evening Prayer  rest of the year

4.00 PM - Evensong  on the Second Sunday of each month

Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays

11:45 AM - Morning Prayer

12:00 noon - Mass

7.00 PM - Evening Prayer

Holy Days as above

For each weeks schedule of Saint's Days and Holy Days, see the schedule on our "About Us" page

Lenten Reading Class

On Sunday mornings at 9.15 our Lenten Reading Class meets in David Hall for a 45 minute session led by Fr Wilcox. We are  reading The Imitation of Christ, by St Thomas a Kempis (we don't meet on the third Sunday of the month).

Book of Common Prayer

On Wednesdays from 1.30 till 3.30 we have a class in the Book of Common Prayer, with emphasis on its history and theology.

Parish Food Closet

We collect non-perishable food items throughout the year and every two months we caravan the donations to the New Braunfels Food Bank

Options for Life

Every Lent we raise money for an annual gift to the New Braunfels "Options for Life" Program, supporting young, single mothers struggling to raise their children. We also have an OfL Collection Jar in our parish hall for through-the-year donations.

Veterans' Charities

On Memorial Day and Veterans' Day we take up special collections to help wounded and disabled veterans. At Christmastime, we lay wreaths at the graves of departed veterans.

When you come by the church, take a look at our "new" old bell, a bronze 100 -year-old beauty with a rich tone that carries all the way down to the river when it rings! The stained glass windows in the church are less than 20 years old, but are closely-patterned after stained glass seen throughout the South from about 1870-1920 (St Joseph's boasts the only Men's Room in central Texas with its own stained-glass window). St Joseph’s chalice and paten were originally given as a gift to the first Episcopal Bishop of Quincy, Illinois, the Rt Rev Thomas Burgess, in 1878. As the hallmark under the base of the chalice shows, it was made by the Gorham Manufacturing Company, the leading silversmiths of 19th century America. How St Joseph’s came into the possession of a chalice & paten owned by a former Yankee chaplain in the War Between the States is a tale worth hearing (but at another time and in another place).  

Receiving Holy Communion at St Joseph’s

At St Joseph’s, any baptized person is welcome to receive Holy Communion. We have a kneeler in front of the table we are using for an Altar. At communion-time, form a line and approach after the person in front of you has received the Sacrament. If you cannot kneel (or get up easily), please remain standing and receive. The priest will place the Sacrament in your hands (it is customary to support your right hand with the left): simply lift the Sacrament to your mouth. It is the sacramental Body of Christ. Please do not handle the consecrated Bread with your fingers. If you prefer to have him place the Host directly on your tongue, simply open your mouth as you approach and he will place it there. If you would like to have the Host dipped in the chalice rather than drink from it, continue to hold it in your open hand and the priest will take it, dip it into the chalice and then place it directly in your mouth. Please do not dip the host into the chalice yourself. 

If you wish to drink from the chalice, the Chalice-bearer will be standing beside you at the kneeler and will help you drink from it directly. 

If you do not wish to receive Holy Communion (or are not eligible to because you are not baptized), but would like a blessing, stand in line until your time comes, approach the kneeler and either kneel or stand and the priest will bless you. To let him know you wish to be blessed, cross your arms over your breast when you approach. He will make the sign of the Cross on your forehead as he blesses you.

Any baptized person is welcome to receive Holy Communion, but not everyone always should. If you are in a state of serious sin, it would be best not to present yourself for Holy Communion, here or elsewhere, until you have confessed your sins, resolved “to live a new life,” and received absolution. Anyone, baptized or not, can always come forward to receive a blessing.

 – Fr Gregory Wilcox

Sunday, March 29 - the Fifth Sunday in Lent

9.00 AM - Morning Prayer

9.30 AM - the Holy Eucharist

4.00 PM - Evening Prayer

This Sunday…     

… as last Sunday, so this Sunday, too: Dr Lee, Tanya and I will be reading Morning Prayer at 9.00 AM and offering the Eucharist at 9.30 on behalf of all member of St Joseph’s and for their special intentions. Each of you and your families will be remembered by name at the Altar. If you have intentions or names you’d like remembered, please contact Tanya either by phone, email or text… 

Upcoming…        

…  Bishop Michael Pease and his wife Linda will be coming down from Denison for Dr Lee’s ordination next Saturday, but also, on Sunday, for the Confirmation of Christopher Daniels and Lindsey Schaub; we’ll have a joint service on Sunday, combining the 8.00 AM and 10.30 Masses into a single service at 9.30; Morning Prayer will be read at 8.30…the Men of St Joseph’s will meet for a Lenten Breakfast at Casa Garcia’s on Saturday, March 28th at 10.00 AM…St Joseph’s Day is this coming Thursday, but since the feast of our patron always falls in Lent, we’ll defer the big celebration until one of the Sundays in Eastertide, as we’ve done the past six or seven years. More information will appear as the day approaches!…

And finally…        

  one thing I’ve learned over four decades as a priest is to do what I’m told when the Ladies of the Parish make their will known. For the past week and a day I’ve been laid up with a respectable flu and its attendant outward and visible signs: coughs, aches in my joints, a nose that expels more liquid than I can ingest through my mouth, and the ability to fry an egg on my forehead. It seems to be relenting and today, for the first time, I left the house to go to church (to retrieve a book). Tanya didn’t forewarn me (it seems to give her some sort of inner, secret delight to watch my reaction to unexpected things) but as I went into the back door, through the kitchen and her office to my library I did notice all the posters – two in the bathroom, one over the kitchen sink, another stuck to the ice box, and at least one in her office – reminding one and all in BIG RED LETTERS to wash their hands with hot water and soap. I knew this was the Work of the Women. The Lord only knows how many they posted in the hall itself (I didn’t look). When I finally relented and mentioned the ubiquitous presence of the posters (I knew she was waiting), she gave me a big grin and said “Wait till you see Larry’s favorite!” On the bulletin board by the back entrance is a copy of the old Revolutionary War flag showing a coiled snake on a yellow field. Instead of the customary slogan it reads “Don’t Sneeze on Me!” The Women of St Joseph’s are a determined group. If any of us comes down with the virus we can’t say we haven’t been prepped… 

 See this week's Liturgical Schedule on our "About Us" page

Sunday, March 29 - the Fifth Sunday in Lent 

 David Hall is closed during the Coronavirus restrictions

Wednesday, April 1 – the Thirty-second Day of Lent also St Hugh of Grenoble, Bishop, AD 1132

David Hall is closed during the Coronavirus restrictions 

Thursday, April 2 – the Thirty-third Day of Lent also St Mary of Egypt, Hermitess, AD 421

David Hall is closed during the Coronavirus restrictions 

Friday, April 3 – the Thirty-fourth Day of Lent also the Feast of St Richard of Chichester, Bishop, AD 1253

David Hall is closed during the Coronavirus restrictions 

Monday is a Fast Day, Tuesday is a Fast Day, Wednesday is a Day of Fast and Abstinence, Thursday is a Fast Day, Friday is a Day of Fast and Abstinence and Saturday is a Fast Day

The Ordination of Dr William Lee

God willing (the Bishops having already approved), at 1.00 PM on Saturday, March 21st, being the Feast of St Benedict of Nursia, Dr William Lee will be ordained to the diaconate here at St Joseph’s. Bishop Michael Pease will be visiting us that weekend, ordering Bill a deacon on Saturday and confirming Christopher Daniels and Lindsey Schaub on Sunday. A reception for the ordinand will follow the Mass. If you would like to contribute to one of the ordination gifts for Dr Lee, please give any moneys or checks to Larry Mooney, or speak to me about the list of things we want to provide for him in his upcoming diaconal duties.

Where Is Fr Peter Ng’ang’a You Ask?

It’s been weeks and weeks since Fr Ng’ang’a has been with us; he’s not upset with anybody (that I know of), he’s been out of the country! (you probably noticed his name on the traveling list in the intercessions) Father has been visiting his native Kenya, overseeing a medical missionary program there since the beginning of the month. He’ll be returning for the ordination and staying with us for the weekend (Fr Peter and his wife Anna will be rubbing elbows with the Bishop and his wife at the Faust Hotel), assisting at services and talking about the mission. With all the new travel restrictions Father can thank his lucky stars he’s now an official American citizen…