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Messiah Anglican Church, Philadelphia

William Blake, Jesus Image of the Invisible God (Milton plate #2)

Awake, O Sleeper!

“It’s true—no one is perfect. But we are Christians, so we’re not content to remain imperfect.” —Father Andrew Stephen Damick

St. Paul, apparently quoting a hymn or poem well-known to his first readers (but not to us), exhorts us in this Sunday’s Ephesians lesson (5:14):

“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”

It is not a surprise that Christ is identified with light, nor even that the light of Christ works the resurrection from the dead. What might be a bit surprising is that Paul feels the need to tell this to us! Clearly, in chapter 5, he is addressing Christian men and women, the saints! “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (5:8). Notice: not “were in darkness,” but “were darkness.” Not, “are in light,” but “are light.”

Still, we who are light because we are of Christ, need to be reminded to abstain from both the trivially inappropriate (crude jokes) and the unspeakably shameful and blasphemous. The quoted line of poetry has a pleasing rhyme between “asleep” and “dead,” in the original. It poetically links the two.

It’s almost as if there are two “realities.” The imagined “reality” of dead sin, which has its own nightmarish logic, agreed on by sleeping sinners, and the true reality, things as they actually are, when seen in the brilliant glory of Christ’s light.

Children of, and in, the light can see both sin for what it is, and righteousness for what it is. Children sleeping in darkness have no knowledge of righteousness, and assent to false conclusions about how to live, and what to do with others and with God. In their dream state, it all makes sense.

Wake up, and none of it makes sense!

Staying awake takes more than will power. It requires drawing near to Jesus Christ. Effort spent trying to be good in our own understanding, our own light and strength, is a fool’s errand. What we need is Jesus.

Christ will give you light.

—Fr. Eric

The LORD builds up Jerusalem,
and gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
He heals those who are broken in heart,
and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:2–3

Join us this week!

Communion Service Booklet

Scripture Readings Leaflet for
Sunday, August 15, 2021

This Sunday’s Hymns

from The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration

Processional: Come Christians, Join to Sing, 108
Offertory: And Can It Be, 203
Communion: Receive (link)
Processional Lift High the Cross, 304

Online Service Links

We are focusing on the YouTube broadcast, which features a live stream of the Sunday service and recordings of past services. The Zoom link will be discontinued beginning next week.

Messiah Anglican YouTube Channel

Zoom link for all services

Schedule notes (Sundays at 10:30 a.m.)

  • August 15, Communion
  • August 22, Morning Prayer
  • August 29, Communion

From the Wardens

  • The vestry will have a Zoom meeting on August 29 after the service.
  • A reminder that Deacon Arica will be taking her sabbatical beginning after the service on August 15 through November 15. Please join us in praying for Arica to have a refreshing season.
  • Be on the lookout for adapted Morning Prayer programs!

Continue to join us each day in this prayer “for the selection of a bishop or other minister”: Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a rector for Messiah Anglican Church, that we may receive a faithful pastor who will preach the Gospel, care for your people, equip us for ministry, and lead us forth in fulfillment of the Great Commission; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From the Treasurer

No update this week. Thank you for your faithful giving. Checks can be mailed or brought to a church service. Giving through Tithe.ly is easy, and you can also set up recurring gifts through that service.

Join us in prayer

  • Peace, order, truth, and justice in Philadelphia and the nation
  • The Hickman family
  • Neighbors and recent visitors, especially those looking for a church
  • Our search process
  • Our regular worshipers, especially Al
  • Our kids, especially Violet
  • Fr. Eric and Melinda and family
  • Dcn. Arica and Isaac
  • Bishop Julian, Brenda, and the Diocese of the Living Word
  • Bob Emberger and the men of Whosoever Gospel Mission
  • Our prayer and financial partners
  • Our missionaries: Dan and Rachel Zuch, Matt, Fr. Josh Harper, and Fr. John Chol Daau
  • Church of the Atonement and the RE Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic

Contact the clergy

You can reach Fr. Eric Cosentino by email at rev.ericfc@yahoo.com or by phone/text at (845) 915-0390‬

Dcn. Arica Demme is available at deaconarica@messiahanglican.org and ‭(978) 689-5301‬

Messiah Anglican Church
198 East Herman Street • Philadelphia PA 19144

Sunday Eucharist, 10:30 AM

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