Two Time Changes for Good Shepherd

Greeting in the name of our Lord Jesus, The Good Shepherd. On Sunday, March 10th Good Shepherd will begin meeting for worship, prayer, fellowship and Holy Eucharist at 3:00 pm at Church of the Springs.. Additionally, the time “springs forward” one hour on Sunday morning.

As we continue our journey with God this Lenten season, let us draw close to God that he may lead us to more fully understand His love for us and our neighbors.

Lord, who throughout these forty days

For us didst fast and pray,

Teach us with Thee to mourn our sins

And close by Thee to stay.

As Thou with Satan didst contend,

And didst the victory win,

O give us strength in Thee to fight,

In Thee to conquer sin.


As Thou didst hunger bear, and thirst,

So teach us, gracious Lord,

To die to self, and chiefly live

By Thy most holy Word.


And through these days of penitence,

And through Thy passiontide,

Yea, evermore in life and death,

Jesus, with us abide.


Abide with us, that so, this life

Of suffering over past,

An Easter of unending joy

We may attain at last.

Claudia Frances Hernaman, 1838-1898

Collect: Transfiguration Sunday

Collect for Transfiguration Sunday

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Epiphany of the Lord - Jan. 6 Year C

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Below are the collect (opening prayer) and scripture readings for this Sunday.

Fr. Perry

Collect

The Epiphany, or the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles

O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Scripture Readings:

Isaiah 60:1-0

Psalms 72: 1-11

Ephesians 3:1-13

Matthew 2:1-12

Collects and Scriptures

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus. I hope and pray this Christmas season is filled with hope, joy, and blessings. Below are two Collects prayed by God’s people all over the world as they seek to grow in Christ and bless their communities.

Fr. Perry

The First Sunday of Christmas (December 30)

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, kindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ [January 1] 

Almighty God, your blessed Son fulfilled the covenant of circumcision for our sake, and was given the Name that is above every name: Give us grace faithfully to bear his Name, and to worship him with pure hearts according to the New Covenant; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Scripture Readings (Sunday, December 30)

Isa 61:10-62:5
Ps 147:13-21
Gal 3:23-4:7
John 1:1-18

Readings for Sunday, Nov. 18

Nov. 18, 2018

Collect for Sunday

Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people, that bringing forth in

abundance the fruit of good works, they may be abundantly rewarded

when our Savior Jesus Christ comes to restore all things; who lives and

reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Daniel 12:1-4a (4b-13)

1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of

your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has

been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people

shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the

book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall

awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting

contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of

the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars

forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the

book, until the time of the end. (Many shall run to and fro, and

knowledge shall increase.”

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this

bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6 And someone

said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the

stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7 And I

heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the

stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and

swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and

half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people

comes to an end all these things would be finished. 8 I heard, but I did

not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of

these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut

up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall purify themselves

and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act

wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are

wise shall understand. 11 And from the time that the regular burnt

offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set

up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at

the 1,335 days. 13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and

shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”)

Psalm 16

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,

in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall

multiply;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

or take their names on my lips.

5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

8 I have set the LORD always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh

also dwells secure.

10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.

11 You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Hebrews 10:31-39

 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you

endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly

exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with

those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and

you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew

that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great

reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have

done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For,

“Yet a little while,

and the coming one will come and will not delay;

38 but my righteous one shall live by faith,

and if he shrinks back,

my soul has no pleasure in him.”

39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of

those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Mark 13:14-23

14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where

he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in

Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let the one who is on the housetop not

go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16 and let the one

who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17 And alas for

women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those

days! 18 Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19 For in those days

there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the

creation that God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the

Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But

for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. 21

And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there

he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise

and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23

But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.

Readings for Sunday, Nov. 4th at Good Shepherd

Deut. 6:1-9

6 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.  3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Psalm 119:1-16

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the LORD!

2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart,

3 who also do no wrong,

but walk in his ways!

4 You have commanded your precepts

to be kept diligently.

5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast

in keeping your statutes!

6 Then I shall not be put to shame,

having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

7 I will praise you with an upright heart,

when I learn your righteous rules.

8 I will keep your statutes;

do not utterly forsake me!

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?

By guarding it according to your word.

10 With my whole heart I seek you;

let me not wander from your commandments!

11 I have stored up your word in my heart,

that I might not sin against you.

12 Blessed are you, O LORD;

teach me your statutes!

13 With my lips I declare

all the rules of your mouth.

14 In the way of your testimonies I delight

as much as in all riches.

15 I will meditate on your precepts

and fix my eyes on your ways.

16 I will delight in your statutes;

I will not forget your word.

Hebrews 7:23-28

23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.  25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.  27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.  28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.”

Mark 12:28-3428

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.”  32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.  33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”  And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.”

Blessings to you in the name of the Good Shepherd,

Fr. Perry

Good Shepherd Anglican Church, Dripping Springs

John 10:10-15

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.  11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.  13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.  14 I am the good shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.  John 10:10-15

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

Since the last time I posted on the the Good Shepherd Anglican Church website, we have started meeting weekly on Sunday evenings at 5:00pm at Chruch of the Springs on Sports Park Rd in Dripping Springs.  Thanks be to God!  As a church we are learning how to worship and pray together in a new space in a new city.  One thing is certain, the Good Shepherd is leading us in this mission to plant an Anglican Church in Dripping Springs.  As to be expected, challenges are part of the process, but the Good Shepherd is faithful to lead, guide and protect us.

Dear Lord, lead us in our calling in Dripping Springs and help us discern the voice of the Good Shepherd and reject the voice of the “thief” and “hired hand”.  In the name of our Lord Jesus, who was and is and is to come.

Fr. Perry