446 N Seguin Ave, New Braunfels, Texas 78130
Catholic in Tradition, Biblical in Faith, Sacramental in Worship
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On Sundays Morning Prayer is read at 9.00 AM, the Holy Eucharist offered at 9.30, and Evening Prayer is at 1.00 PM.
On Wednesdays, Thursday, and Fridays, Morning Prayer is read at 11.45 AM, the Holy Eucharist is offered at noon, and Evening Prayer is at 7.00 PM
Our Sunday morning Liturgy (Morning Prayer followed by the Holly Eucharist) is live streamed on our parish Facebook page beginning at 9.00 AM each Sunday morning. www.facebook.com/stjosephsnewbraunfels
Our Sunday Schedule is:
9.00 AM Morning Prayer
9.30 AM Holy Eucharist (sung with sermon)
10.45 AM Fun, Food and Fellowship
As much fun, food and fellowship as Anglicans allow themselves to have
11.15 AM Class (first, second, fourth and fifth Sundays; the parish Vestry meets on the third Sunday)
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
The Epistoller’s Schedule for October
October 10 – Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
Ephesians 4.17-32 Sharon McAllister
October 17 – Twentieth Sunday after Trinity
Ephesians 5.15-21 Tanya Wilcox
October 24 – Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity
Ephesians 6.10-20 Jan Baertl
October 31 – the Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ the King
Colossians 1.12-20 Jan Bates
St Francis Blessing of Animals – Saturday, October 2
On Saturday, October 2, at 11.00 AM, we’ll have a service of Blessing of Animals outside the front doors of the church. All pets of all sizes are welcome (we’ve blessed everything from horses to black widows – which we ask you to keep inside their enclosures for the service). There will be photos before, during and after, treats for the animals (with bowls of water just in case), and St Francis medals for your pet’s collar.
Thanks for Your Help with The Nazarene Fund
In the rush to evacuate Afghanistan, the Nazarene Fund (“Nazarenes” are what Arabs call Christians), with the help of donations like ours, rescued more than 5,000 Christians from Afghanistan. The Taliban announced that after they assume full control of Afghanistan, all Christians will be exterminated. Over the past few weeks, TNF raised money to airlift as many of these Christians as possible to safe havens in the Middle East.
Two Sundays back I asked you to help raise $500 for this effort. You gave almost $1,000. Last week we collected more both from our parishioners in New Braunfels as well as contributions from some of our parish’s “friends-at-a-distance.” This Sunday Jan, our treasurer, will tote it all up and send off a check to TNF. I wish I could report to you all is well and the danger is past, but as many of our fellow countrymen are stranded in Afghanistan, many Christians remain, too. We’ll continue to monitor their situation and offer help as we can. At all times and in all places, we can pray for them; we’ll be doing so at Mass, please do so at home, too.
Thank you again for all the help you’ve given and your prayers on their behalf. And I owe a special debt to Joe Gardner for pushing me where I wasn’t especially interested in going.
Charity Navigator, which rates the integrity of charitable organizations, gives an Accountability & Transparency rating to The Nazarene Fund of a positive 96%.
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St Paulinus of York, Bishop and Missionary, 644
St Paulinus’ name comes down to us with the title “Bishop of York” and “Missionary,” but to know his story is to realize these titles were more aspirational than real. St Paulinus was a saintly man who failed to complete the admittedly daunting tasks assigned to him. Holiness isn’t a matter of worldly success or ecclesiastical efficiency.
In 595, Pope St Gregory the Great decided to convert the Anglo-Saxon tribes in England. He appointed a Roman monk, Augustine (not to be confused with St Augustine of Hippo) to lead a group of priests and monks to the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Kent, in southeast England. King Æthelberht had married the Christian daughter of the French king and had indicated his willingness to open his country to missionaries. St Augustine (later the first archbishop of Canterbury) arrived with the first band of missionaries in 597; Paulinus came with a second wave of clergy in 601. This is the first mention of Paulinus; other than the fact that he was a Roman monk we know nothing of his life or background. As some of his known companions were in their late twenties when they left Rome, it’s been assumed Paulinus was about that age.
King Æthelberht’s capital was at Canterbury, and he gave Augustine land to establish a church, monastery and school to begin his work. Paulinus again disappears from view, discharging his duties with obvious faithfulness and competence, because he was chosen to lead the next great step in the Pope’s plan for the conversion of the English.
Pope Gregory’s instructions to Augustine called for the establishment of two principal centers for the yet-to-be Church in England. The first center would be in the south, where Augustine had already settled, but the second was in the far north, in the pagan city of York. So, in 625, when the pagan King Edwin of Northumbria (York was his capital) sought the hand of the young Princess Æthelburga of Kent, sister of the king, she asked to bring missionaries with her. Paulinus was chosen to head the mission; he was consecrated bishop and given the title “Bishop of York” before he left on the trip north with the princess. He was given detailed instructions from Pope Gregory directives as to the long-term goals of his mission. He was first to do all he could to convert the pagans to whom he was being sent to the Gospel.
At first, things went well. He converted a few noble families and founded a few churches. But there was much resistance to the new faith and, when King Edwin announced his conversion, most of his subjects rose up in rebellion. In 633 the king was killed in battle and the purge of Christians began. With considerable bravery, Bishop Paulinus quickly organized his converts and, with Princess Æthelburga, retraced their route all the way back to Kent. No trace of the mission to York survived.
Paulinus retired to the monastery in Canterbury but not long after, he was sent to another city in Kent, Rochester, where he was appointed bishop. St Bede, the earliest historian of the English church, records that St Paulinus devoted himself to constant prayer and daily pastoral work among those committed to his charge. It is there, with his steady and devoted life among the people of Rochester, that his reputation of holiness was built. He died there in 644 and was buried under the altar of his small cathedral. Historians refer to him as the first archbishop of York, but he no doubt would have preferred to be remembered as bishop of Rochester.
Christ’s Hands…
“Christ has no body on earth now but yours, no hands, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes with which Christ’s compassion looks out to the world. Yours are the feet with which He now has to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which He now has to bless those who need Him.” – St Teresa of Avila, “La Madre”, 1582
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The Bell of St Joseph's and Other Fun & Fascinating Facts
Parish Food Closet
We collect non-perishable food items throughout the year and every two months we caravan the donations to the New Braunfels SOS Food Bank. Our current food collection is continuing till Sunday, September 5, so please remember to bring something for one of our collection baskets by then. We have one collection basket by the front entrance of David Hall, just ot the right of the door. The other basket is in the back of the church on the Gospel side. Thanks to your ongoing generosity, st Joseph's is one of the major contributors to our local food bank.
Options for Life
Throughout Lent we've been raising money for an annual gift to the New Braunfels "Options for Life" Program, supporting young, single mothers struggling to raise their children. The garishly-colored plastic baby bottles lined up on the narthex table are for you to take home and fill up as part of our common parish Lenten Alms program. We also have an OfL Collection Jar in our parish hall for through-the-year donations. We'll being collecting bottles on Easter Day and on Whitsunday present our check to the office of OfL.
Veterans' Charities
On Memorial Day and Veterans' Day we take up special collections for the "Wreaths Across America" program. At Christmastime, we participate in this by laying wreaths at the graves of veterans in New Braunfels and Comal County. For more information, contact Tanya Wilcox. In 2021, wreaths will be laid on Tuesday, December 21.
Most-Needed Items at Food Bank
The brochure for our local Food Bank lists the following items as their greatest needs: Canned meats, tuna, chicken or salmon; Meals in a can (soup, stew, chili); Low-sodium canned vegetables; Canned fruit in its own juice or water; Peanut butter; Olive or canola oil; Spices (cinnamon, chili powder, cumin, salt-free spice blends); Canned foods with pop-top lids; Low-sugar whole grain cereals; Healthy snacks (granola bars, nuts, dried fruit).
Their brochure goes on to say: “Please avoid items packed in glass. No candy or sugar-sweetened drinks. We request that you do not donate bulk quantities of rice, flour, or sugar. Although we appreciate and can utilize every donation we receive, the Food Bank does not have the repackaging facilities needed to properly distribute such items.”
How does a well-informed Anglican greet a bishop?
So, we now officially have a “Bishop-in-Residence” here at St Joseph’s now that Bishop Ng’ang’a is formally a member of the parish and on the staff. We’re accustomed to his presence here and he’s much-loved at this parish. But now and then somebody will take me aside and ask, “What’s the proper way to address a bishop?”
Without getting too complex, Bishop Ng’ang’a isn’t our diocesan bishop: that’s Bishop Millsaps in far-off Tennessee. Bishop Ng’ang’a is what is called a “suffragan bishop,” a bishop who assists a diocesan (that’s why Bishop Millsaps appointed him: the Vestry and I requested the appointment, but only Bishop Millsaps could approve it). Before I actually answer the question posed above, I need to explain that though we are Anglicans, we’re not (most of us, anyway) British. A bishop in the Church of England is a member of the House of Lords. As such, English bishops are properly addressed as “Your Grace.” Anglican bishops elsewhere are not. Nor do we Americans say, “My Lord,” when addressing a bishop. We fought a couple of wars in order NOT to have “Lords” and “Graces” amongst us. Another similar term is “your Excellency.” This, again, isn’t an ecclesiastical title but a political one. Many Roman Catholics habitually address their bishops as “Excellency,” but in the official protocols of the Roman Church, the only “excellencies” are Roman clergy who happen to be ambassadors of the Vatican to other countries.
So, what do we say? We call our bishops “Bishop.” A bishop is a successor to the Apostles. I don’t think there can be a better title than that. If you write the bishop a letter or print something about him, Anglicans in such a case write “the Right Reverend Joe Schmo,’ or, if he is an archbishop, “the Most Reverend Joe Schmo.” The Prayer Book formally refers to the bishop, when he is addressed during the Liturgy, as “Right Reverend Father in God.” You all knew Bishop Ng’ang’a before his consecration as “Father Ng’ang’a.” To refer to a bishop as “Father” is no insult. Though he’s a bishop, he never ceases to be a priest.
The Bell of St Joseph's and Other Fun & Fascinating Facts
This Sunday at St Joseph's - October 10, the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
The Bell of St Joseph's and Other Fun & Fascinating Facts
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
This Sunday at St Joseph's - October 10, the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
This Sunday at St Joseph's - October 10, the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
This Sunday at St Joseph's - October 10, the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
Sunday, October 10 - the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity and the commemoration of St Paulinus of York, Bishop
9.00 AM - Morning Prayer
9.30 AM - the Holy Eucharist
10.45 AM - Treats and Tea in David Hall
11.15 AM - Class on the Apostles' Creed (session 8)
1.00 PM - Evening Prayer
This Sunday...
…as every Sunday, an integral part of our intentions and intercessions at Mass is for our fellow Christians who are persecuted for the Faith; one Sunday a month we pray for the Christians in China, who face unrelenting persecution, so this Sunday we’ll bless an icon devoted to the “New Martyrs of China” (that is, those of our times as opposed to the Chinese martyrs of centuries past). The icon will be placed next to the icon of the Coptic Martyrs near the sanctuary of St Joseph’s…Fr Charles Harper will be our guest preacher this Sunday, so y’all get a welcome two-week break from my sermonizing; but then…those of y’all who were at church last Sunday all were, to one degree or another, witnesses to the excitement in the parking lot after church: it took two police cars to settle things down! After a bit of thinking, though, I believe the problem can be avoided in the future; take a look at the new sign on the wall of the parking lot…in David Hall this Sunday, we’ll continue with the next session on the Apostles’ Creed (“I believe in Jesus Christ” – part 3), doing the class we would have done last week but for the afore-mentioned excitement; …in this Sunday’s bulletin, a few things to note: part seven of Fr Trueman Dicken’s Living with God; a brief life of Sunday’s saint, Paulinus of York, “Notes on the Collects” for Trinity Nineteen and a few other tidbits, including something from Larry Mooney, “5 Things You’ll Never Hear a Southern Boy Say”…
Upcoming in October…
… a special celebration next Sunday (the 17th), when, on the feast day of St Etheldreda, an Anglo-Saxon Queen who later became a Benedictine Abbess, we’ll include in the service a commemoration of all the Anglo-Saxon queens or princesses remembered in October who also “took the veil” (there were four of them); they made a permanent impression on English piety that remains today which will be the topic of my sermon…our parish Vestry will meet after church next Sunday, where I’ll be making a report about the progress of plans for a parish school (so there will be NO class on the Apostles’ Creed on the 17th)…that same day we’ll begin our Thanksgiving Food Collection for the New Braunfels SOS Food Bank …the Men’s Breakfast will be on Saturday, October 23rd at 10AM in David Hall (health food is not on their menu: I think it’ll be pancakes and sausages)…the next day, the Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity, we’ll begin collecting names and intentions for our All Souls’ Day Masses (All Souls Day is November 2nd) and my sermon will be on the topic of why we pray for the dead…we’ll finish the month on Sunday, October 31st, celebrating the Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ the King with a Big Breakfast planned after church: it’s also our annual Buy an Indulgence Sunday, your chance to own your very own copy of an Indulgence (printed on parchment!) printed in England during the time of King Henry VIII (who, unless he bought a whole lot of them, is surely now bemoaning his eternal fate). Proceeds from the Indulgence Sale this year will go to purchase a set of beautiful, engraved glass containers for the Holy Oils in our aumbry…
See this week's Liturgical Schedule on our "About Us" page
October, 2021 at St Joseph's
This Sunday at St Joseph's - October 10, the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
This Sunday at St Joseph's - October 10, the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
Dates to Note in October:
St Francis Blessing of Animals: Saturday, October 2, 11.00 AM, with photos, treats and special medals saying "St Francis, Pray for My Pet"
Parish Women’s (Healthy!) Luncheon:
Saturday, October 9, 12.15 in David Hall
October Vestry Meeting: Our next regular meeting will be on October 17, 2021. All are welcome.
Men’s Breakfast: Saturday, October 23, 10 AM David Hall
Annual Buy and Indulgence Sunday: Your chance to own your very own copy of an Indulgence (printed on parchment!) printed in England during the time of King Henry VIII . It comes with a edible indulgence, too!
Parish Breakfast: in October, our Big Parish Breakfast will follow the 9.30 Eucharist on October 31
Bishop Peter Ng'ang'a will be with us as our preacher on October 3 and 31, and will be the celebrant for the Eucharist on October 17
With the exception of Sunday, October 17 (because of our Vestry Meeting), Fr Wilcox will be teaching a class every Sunday in October on the Apostles' Creed. These will be live-streamed on our Facebook page.
Order Your Ordo Calendars!
Within the next two weeks, we’ll be ordering our Parish Ordo calendars from Bishop Millsaps’ office. The cost is $6.00. If you’d like one for your devotional area or icebox, please let Tanya know by Sunday, October 24th.
New in the Tract Rack
New on the narthex table are copies of Fr Moss's classic booklet "A Summary of the Faith," Fr Dearmer's "Life of St Aidan," and "St Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria and Doctor of the Church," a brief biography of the saint.
Autumnal Diversions
Now that fall is officially here (and there is a hint of a change in the weather, believe it or not!), it’s time to get back into things after the long, hot summer. The Comal County Fair opened Friday and before too long, the signs of Wurstfest will be here, too. In the spirit of autumnal diversion, let me share a few delightful prospects: first, I’ve managed to buy (after more than a year’s waiting) a pristine copy of a long-unavailable recording of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy and performed by the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. This is hands-down the best recording ever made of “The 1812”, featuring a superb Russian choir, the actual bells from the Cathedral in St Petersburg and the cannon-fire from the old Peter and Paul Fortress in the city. If you’d like to BORROW the CD, just ask. As splendid as the whole piece is, the final two-an-a-half minutes of the recording will leave your hair standing on end. One more fall pleasure: I’m still reading (but will be through within a week) a very well-written, marvelously researched and thoughtful book, The Light Ages. The title is a deliberate contrast to the “Dark Ages” which usually refer to the Middle Ages. It details the life and thought of a medieval monk who is devoted to the pursuit of scientific knowledge. It may sound deadly dull, but reads almost like a mystery novel. It also is a healthy antidote to our modern hubris that we’ve scaled the heights of knowledge. That’s what I’ve been reading and listening to for sheer pleasure at the turning of the season. How about you? Let me know what you’re reading and listening to!
Fight the good fight with us!
Your prayers, support and contributions will help us keep a faithful Anglican presence and traditional Anglican worship alive and kickin' here in the Texas Hill Country. We have a lot to do to bring our parish mission to this part of God's world: to be "Catholic in Tradition, Biblical in Faith and Sacramental in Worship." Your generous (and tax-deductable!) donations will help fund that mission and keep us movin'!
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