TRINITY'S SUNDAY MORNING SCHEDULE
for January 24

9:00 AM Virtual Coffee Hour
9:30 AM Holy Eucharist Rite II Live on Trinity's Facebook and YouTube pages
(can be viewed any time following the live feed)
10:30 AM Sunday School

Beginning Tuesday, January 19
6:30 AM Morning Prayer Rite II Live daily on Trinity's Facebook page
(can be viewed any time following the live feed)
Rite II Spiritual Communion
Sunday, January 17
Collect for The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
 

Readings for today can be found here.


Rite II, Spiritual Communion & Meditation

Rev. Bambi Willis, Val Folden, and Barry Holliday have coordinated our service for this morning. The service can be found here: https://youtu.be/SnaDj4dcBtE

We will be doing Rite II and you can follow along starting on page 355 in the Book of Common Prayer. The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) can be found here. The Psalm for today is Psalm 139:1-5;12-17 found on page 794 in the BCP. The readings are 1 Samuel 3:1-20; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; and John 1:43-51.


A Meditation for The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

This morning Nathanael meets Jesus. Nathanael is skeptical that anything good can come out of Nazareth and then Jesus tells Nathanael “Here is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” And then Nathanael asks Jesus “Where did you get to know me?”  

“Where did you get to know me?”  

Our Epiphany revelation this morning is that Jesus knew Nathanael before Nathanael knew Jesus. Jesus knows who we are before we know who Jesus is.
Where did you get to know me? My children know me because we grew up together. My friends know me because we have journeyed through glad and not so glad times. You all know me because I have been with you these months as your long term supply priest. My colleagues know me because I participate in clericus and convention and diocesan activities.  

But “Where did you get to know me? Jesus knows us in the deepest of ways, in ways we do not reveal to others.  

I like to think I am a leader but sometimes I just go along to get along. I like to think I am a compassionate listener but sometimes I am distracted and do not listen closely to what I am hearing. I like to think I am responsible but know there are times when I fall down and do not do the things I am supposed to do. I like to think I can shield the truth about me from others.

So did Nathanael. But Jesus knew Nathanael better than Nathanael knew himself. And Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves.  

I participated in a Commission of Ministry retreat this week. We started by introducing ourselves. I like others introduced myself by saying what I do – long term supply priest at Trinity, a member of standing committee, co-chair of the committee of discernment, the Bishop’s chaplain to retired clergy. None of that told others who I am. Our introductions were pro forma but not anything that revealed my true self. 

My true self was revealed a bit more as we met in small groups. In small groups we can reveal a bit more about ourselves. In a small group we have more time to share who we are and not just what we do. A small group often feels safer than a large group.

But the take away this morning is that Jesus knew Nathanael before Nathanael knew Jesus. That’s good news for us. Jesus knows you before you know Jesus. Our psalm tells us: 

O Lord, you have searched me and known me. 
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
   you discern my thoughts from far away. 
You search out my path and my lying down,
   and are acquainted with all my ways. 
Even before a word is on my tongue,
   O Lord, you know it completely. 
You hem me in, behind and before,
   and lay your hand upon me. 
even the darkness is not dark to you;
   the night is as bright as the day,
   for darkness is as light to you. 

For it was you who formed my inward parts;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
   Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well. 
   
May we all know we are the wonderful work of God.

Please remember all those on our prayer list this week found here or in the Good News Daily found here.

Rev. Bambi Willis
* * * * * * *
Bishop Susan Goff will preach live this morning from St. Paul’s, Richmond. 

The service, which will be live-streamed at 10 a.m., will include prayers for our nation and prayers for peace in the face of threatened violence at all 50 state capitols. You can tune in via St. Paul's livestream page or Facebook Live. We will also share it on the diocesan Facebook page.

A copy of the service will be available later in the day.