First Sunday after Christmas, December 31st, 2023

 First Sunday after Christmas, December 31st, 2023

In the Fourth Chapter of the Letter to the Galatians, we hear the following:  "God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."   It is never good to be "full of ourselves."  In other words, we should never think too highly of ourselves than we ought, but when you consider the fact that God thinks so highly of His creation that not only did He send His Son into the world to save us, but that as a result we are now considered "sons" and "daughters" of God, the honour is beyond comprehension!  Think about it, God has chosen you . . . He has redeemed you . . . He has made you His very own child!  The only thing that we have to do is to respond and then act accordingly.  So often, when we are out and about, we may see a child in a store who is acting up and not listening to his parents.  And the first thought to our mind is:  "What an ungrateful child" or "what a spoiled child."  And, yet, when it comes to the spiritual life, are we not "spoiled children" to Our Heavenly Father?  Perhaps, we ignore God completely.  Perhaps, we only approach God when we want something.  Maybe, we don't hear God speaking to us because we are too far away and not paying attention.  We have to always remind ourselves on a daily basis the dignity and honour that God has given to each one of us by being called "son" or "daughter" of the Almighty.

St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Church is a traditional Anglican parish, which uses the Anglican Missal and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  We also use the King James Version of the Bible.  We believe strongly in Our Lord's words . . .  "this is My Body and this is My Blood" . . . and believe that Our Blessed Saviour is truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar and we receive Him at Communion time.  Come join us every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM as we gather together as God's family to worship Our Blessed Lord.  We celebrate Mass in the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Fourth Sunday in Advent, December 24th, 2023

 Fourth Sunday in Advent, December 24th, 2023

It just seems to make common sense that you have to have all the parts in order to make something complete.  For example, if a bike is missing the wheels . . . .  it is incomplete.  How frustrating would it be to work on a 5,000 piece puzzle and discover some of the pieces were missing?  Or if you are in the kitchen, how are you going to prepare something if you do not have all of the ingredients?  I might have it in my mind to bake a cherry pie but what if I do not have any cherries for my cherry pie?  Again, it only makes sense that we must have all the parts or all the ingredients on hand if we are going to make something.  In essence, St. Paul is saying this to the Philippians in the fourth chapter of that epistle when he writes:  " . . . . but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God." (Philippians 4:6)  When it comes to prayer, very often we are missing some of the elements. Many people only pray when they need something.  Many of us only go to God when we are in need of a favor from Him.  And it is fine to go to God when you are in need of something . .. or in trouble . . . or in need of mercy . . . . after all, God is our loving Father and He wants to be there for His children.  But, that being said, we should not ONLY approach God solely when we need something.  That would be the equivalent of a neighbor who won't give you the time of  day but will only come to you when they need something.  Or having a relative that never contacts you except when they need to borrow some money.  We need to go to God in prayer not only when we need something from Him.  This is what St. Paul is saying.  We need to also praise Him when we pray.  And we certainly need to pray in Thanksgiving when we pray.  In other words, we need to thank Him for the many blessings He bestows upon us during our lifetime.  "Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise to Him with psalms."  (Psalm 94:2)  Christmas is the season of giving.  Let each of us focus on giving more time to God.  Let us dedicate more prayer time to God.  Do not let the fast pace of the world and all the being busy in life keep us from approaching God.  Let us take time each day from our busy lives in order to dedicate that time solely to God.  

NOTE:  On Sunday, December 24th, 2023, Mass will be celebrated at our normal time of 10:30 am on Sunday morning.  On Monday, December 25th, 2023, Christmas Day, we will celebrate Mass at a special time of 11:00 am.  Please make a point of joining us one day or both days if you can.  

 Third Sunday in Advent, December 17th, 2023

Have you ever been overjoyed by something and before you knew it, the joy had worn off?    As children, especially at Christmas time, we are overjoyed at what Santa Claus will bring us.  We anxiously look forward to all the presents under the tree and try to figure out what is wrapped inside.   Let's be honest, whether as children or adults,  . . .  whether it is a gift given to us or something we have purchased ourselves  .. . .  whether it is an actual physical product or whether it is simply a good meal that we look forward to devouring . . . . the point is the same:  things of this world do indeed bring us joy for a time but then the joy eventually fades.  Even if you look at it from the perspective of someone who turns to drink or drugs to find their "happiness,"  . . . . what happens when the effect of either drink or drug wears off?  That person goes back to feeling like they did before.  The "high" feeling . . .  the "drunk" feeling only lasts so long.  Things of the world . . .  whether they be electronics .  . . or food . . . . or clothing . . .  or positions of honour . . . . or titles at our jobs . . . or booze  . . . . or drugs . .  . all these things only bring temporary fulfillment.  They do satisfy, yes, but only for a time.  The joy we find in them  is only temporary, never lasting.

For the Christian, on the other hand, the joy that is everlasting is our relationship with God.  "Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for it becometh well the just to be thankful." (Psalm 33)  Our personal relationship with Our Blessed Saviour will never disappoint.  Our personal relationship with Our Lord and Saviour is one that will last an eternity.  While other things in this earthly life will fade away . . .  or be consumed . . . or rust away . ..  or go out of fashion . . . . the relationship that God offers to us is forever.  God will always be faithful to His people.  "Gaudete in Domino semper" ("Rejoice in the Lord always")  (Philippians 4:4-5)  Rejoice in the fact that God loves you!  Rejoice in the fact that God sent His only Son to die for you!  Rejoice in the fact that God offers you the possibility of eternal life!  Give your heart to the One that offered His Heart to you!  Give your life to Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and rejoice in the Lord always!

The Third Sunday of Advent is referred to as "Gaudete Sunday."  And this is because "Gaudete" is the Latin word for rejoice, which comes from the first word of the introit, "Rejoice ..  . . "  As such, the Church is past the midway point of the season of Advent, and we use this opportunity to take a breather, so to speak.  Remember, the season of Advent is supposed to be somewhat somber in nature . .   . this is why the liturgical colour during this season is violet or purple as it is in Lent.  But today the Church lightens its' mood just a bit and rose coloured vestments can be worn instead of violet for today. 

Make a point to join St. Margaret Church on Sunday, December 17th, 2023 as we continue our Advent journey.  Take time out of your busy schedule and dedicate that time to God.  Come listen to His Word and receive His Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.  St. Margaret Church worships at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Mass begins at 10:30 am every Sunday morning.  Please make a point to visit us.

 

Second Sunday in Advent, December 10th, 2023

"WHATSOEVER things were written aforetime were written for our learning," (Romans 15:4)

How many products do we open up without ever reading the instructions?  In the world in which we live today it seems that every product comes with some kind of instructions or warnings or a list of ingredients.  Everything from food packages to the prescriptions we pick up.  Speaking of prescriptions, even the commercials for new prescriptions you see on TV list all kinds of warnings and information right there in the commercial.  Everything seems to come with some kind of warning, some kind of instructions, some kind of information which are placed there for our benefit but none of us rarely takes the time to read or take notice of what is given to us.  Sad to say but generally speaking God's Word sadly falls into this category as well.  How many people take time out of their busy schedule to read the "Good Book?"  How many people make a point to open up the Scriptures and learn what God is saying to them?   How many of us make the effort to learn from the Bible?  Of course many people do but I am speaking in general terms here.  I would dare say that most people treat the Word of God just like the informational printouts that the pharmacist gives them when they pick up their prescriptions.  Does anyone ever read the printouts that the pharmacist gives us with our prescriptions?  Does anyone ever take the time to read what is printed on a product we buy in the store?  Sadly, who takes the time in our day and age to read what God wants them to learn?  The Scriptures are there for our learning.  The Scriptures are presented for us to know the things of God.  The Word of God is given to us to know what God would have us know.  God speaks to us through the Word of God.  We should make a point to read and learn and hear what God is saying to us.

Make a point to join St. Margaret Church on Sunday, December 10th, 2023 as we continue our Advent journey.  Take time out of your busy schedule and dedicate that time to God.  Come listen to His Word and receive His Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.  St. Margaret Church worships at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Mass begins at 10:30 am every Sunday morning.  Please make a point to visit us.

First Sunday in Advent, December 3rd, 2023

 First Sunday in Advent, December 3rd, 2023

The Thirteenth Chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans is the passage appointed for the First Sunday in Advent.  Personally, if I was forced to "name" this specific chapter, or this specific passage, I would probably call it the "Challenge Passage."  Why?  Because in this chapter St. Paul tells the Romans . . . . and not just them, but us as well . .. . that we are called to love one another.   In this passage that we hear today, it begins with St. Paul writing:  "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another;  for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." (Romans 13:8)  And then he continues after that by writing:   ". . . therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10)  And, once again you ask, why would I call this particular chapter the "Challenge Passage?"  Well, quite frankly, it is difficult to love a lot of people in this world, isn't it?  There are certain people in our life that are very easy to love.  These people are kind.  These people are gentle.  They might be generous to us by giving us their time.  They might show us love first.  They might be fun to be around.  etc.  It's easy to love people described above.  But what about loving those people who do not fit the above description?  What about those people who are rude?  what about those people who are mean to us?  What about the people that, quite frankly, could be described as "jerks?"  How easy is it to "love" these people?  Truth be known, every single one of us could come up with a list of people whom we consider great . .   . . . in other words, the people that make it easy to love them . . . . and a list of people that we can't stand . . . .  in other words, the people that are very hard to love.  And yet, we know from Scripture and specifically this Thirteenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans that " ..  . .  love is the fulfilling of the law."  Why should we do this?  Well, quite frankly, because we are commanded to do so as Christians.  But, in my humble opinion, more importantly, we need to do it because we need to follow Our Blessed Lord's example.  In other words, He did it.  He loved those who did not love Him.  He showed love to those who did not show love to Him.  We don't know why sometimes, but God loves even those who do not deserve love, at least in our way of thinking.  This is proven in the fact that God sent His only begotten Son into the world on behalf of all men . . . . not just on behalf of kind men . . . .  not just on behalf of friendly men . . . .  not just on behalf of men who first do things for us . . . . He sent His Son into the world on behalf of ALL humanity, not just some.  Let us spend this holy season of Advent preparing ourselves for the coming of the Christ Child.  Let us welcome Him into our heart and prepare by imitating Him in our love of others.  Not just love for those who deserve our love  . . . . but working on loving those who do not show love to us because this is what Our Saviour did . . . .  He loved those who did not even love Him.

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Sunday Next before Advent, November 26th, 2023

 Sunday Next before Advent, November 26th, 2023

"BEHOLD, the days come, saith the LORD .  . . " (Jeremiah 23:5)

  Our society is obsessed with upcoming events.  For example, this time every year, we get constant reminders about how close we are to Christmas, courtesy of all the department stores, retail stores, online book stores, etc.  Behold, the big sale is about to happen . . . . Behold, this sale won't last long . . .  Behold, come and spend your hard-earned money here so that your loved ones will be happy at Christmas time.  But these "reminders," in all fairness go on all year around, quite honestly.  We are reminded on the nightly news about the upcoming summits, or upcoming sessions of Congress, or when a bill is about to be voted on.  Even in our personal life, we have to deal with upcoming reports at our jobs being due, and upcoming doctor's appointments, and things to do around the house:  whether they be preparing the house for winter or getting ready for an upcoming dinner.  So, you see, we are constantly reminded of upcoming events and the days ahead . . .

But this is not what Jeremiah wants us to think about.   In the "reminders" that I mentioned above, they are concerned with earthly, material things.  And nothing is necessarily wrong with with the things that I mentioned:  it's good to give gifts as a token of affection to loved ones;  it's good to prepare your home for the winter; it's good for politicians to do their job, etc.  But we have to keep everything in perspective of what is important.  Jeremiah continues:  "BEHOLD, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth"    We need to be concerned with the coming of the Lord as Christians.  We need to concern ourselves with making a place ready for Him when He comes.  And, quite frankly, we can make that happen now!  Yes, we can prepare our hearts for Him and prepare a place in our heart for Our Blessed Lord.  You see, all of the daily routines in life have their place: the daily chores, preparation of meals, going to work, paying bills, etc.  But there is one more daily "chore," and it should not even be called a "chore,"  it would be better described as a "daily necessity,"   . . . . and this "daily necessity" is time spent with Our Lord and preparing  a place for Him in our hearts!  As we come upon the liturgical season of Advent, the Church prepares for the coming of the Lord as a small innocent Infant.  Let us also prepare our hearts for the coming of that small Divine Infant by making a place for Him to dwell.  Get to know Jesus.  Give Him your heart because He has already given His Sacred Heart to you!

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Trinity, November 19th, 2023

Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Trinity, November 19th, 2023

When you go shopping are there just certain brand-names that you trust?  When you see a certain company's name on a product, does it automatically register "quality" in your mind?  Or on the other hand, when you see a certain product name, do you avoid it at all costs?  Very often this trust . . .  or dis-trust, for that matter .. .  comes from experience, doesn't it?  When we get a specific brand of laundry detergent and we use it a few times and our clothes look bright and appear brand new after a wash.  Or they smell fresh like spring.  Well, if this experience continues to be the case for us each time we buy that product, for us that brand is a "winner."  On the other hand, if we buy  a product at the store and it turns out to be lousy or does not meet our expectations, our faith in that product will be lacking and we likely won't buy that brand any time soon.  Again, in either case, whether we like a product or whether we do not like a product, more than likely both are based on experience.  The same can be true of going to a restaurant.  If we had a good experience  . . . . the food was good . . . the service was excellent . .  . the price was not over-whelming . . .  then, by all means, our opinion of that establishment will be high.  Conversely, our  opinion of that same establishment will be lacking if the food was lousy or the service was poor, for example.  So, very often our faith in a product, or lack of faith in a product, is based on experience.   

St. Paul writes in his Epistle to the Colossians:  ". . . . since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus " (Colossians 1:3 ff)  In this sense, where does "faith" in God come from?  Very often we learn about God from other people: our parents; our grandparents; etc.  As children, our parents perhaps take us to church or we go to Sunday School or we might go to Vacation Bible School in the summer months.  As we grow, we still are influenced by what we hear and see about God coming from others around us, but as we grow spiritually, we need to experience our own "faith" in God.  You see, our faith life is very much like a journey that we travel on.  Sometimes the road is very easy.  Other times it might be rough or rocky.  Sometimes there are a twists and turns that we were not expecting.  Often, our journey does not match up with our expectations or what we were planning on.  Faith in God is  something completely different.  We know that we can depend on God.  We know that He will never leave us.   But faith comes mainly from experience but first we have to "experience" God ourselves.  So many people give up on God because their experience of Him is lacking.  They have no faith because they have not seen Him.  But it could be that they have not seen Him because they were not really looking to begin with.   Let us tell people about God by the way in which we live our life.  Let us tell people about God by the way in which we treat others around us with love and compassion.  Let people see the "faith" in us by always staying constant, by always being sure no matter what befalls us.  Let people know about your faith in God by letting them see the life you lead and the attitude you have.

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity, November 12th, 2023

 Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity, November 12th, 2023

In the Twenty-Second Chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, we hear Our Lord say:  "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's"  Needless to say, this quote is one of the most remembered quotes found in Scripture.  Certainly, in this response, Our Lord is being very direct in what He says.    There is no need to remind any of us that we all lead busy lives.  Most every person I know seems to lead a busy life.  And as such, we wear many different hats.  Think of all the different "hats" you might have worn in your life-time:  Child; Parent; Student; Teacher; Employee; Boss; Husband; Wife; Neighbor; Home-Owner; Volunteer; etc. etc.  And the list can go on and on.  In each of these roles that I have described above, and countless others, we all have a different role that we play.  The role of a parent is far different from the role we played as a child.  The role that a boss plays is different than that of an employee.  So in each of these positions, we are called to play a different role, depending on the situation.  But throughout each of these "roles" that we play, we are called to put our Christianity into it as much as possible.  We need to find a way to perform our "roles" and do what we are called to do but at the same time never forget that ultimately we are Christians first and foremost.  Today's Gospel passage reminds us that Christians are citizens of two worlds:  the Heavenly world and the earthly world.   We are "dual-citizens," in that respect.  And it will not always be easy to "coexist" between the two.  But that is what we are called to do:  live as a human being but do it in a Christian manner.

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. 

Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity, November 5th, 2023

 Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity, November 5th, 2023

"I THANK my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy," (Philippians 1:3)

I do my best to always show my gratefulness.  I do this when someone takes the time to hold the door open for me.  I do this when a waiter or waitress brings me the food I ordered.  I do this when someone hands me something that I need.  In these situations, and so many more I am in the habit of saying "Thank you."  Yes, without a doubt, this is indeed a habit.  It is a habit that has been with me an entire lifetime.  And I owe the development of this "good habit" to my dear parents who so long ago cultivated this important habit and showed me the importance of being grateful and showing thanks.   It is important to show thanks.  It is important to show our gratefulness and our thanksgiving to those around us.  

I would dare say that the importance of saying "Thank you" and being grateful extends to God as well, wouldn't you agree?  And yet how often do we take the time to thank Our Heavenly Father?  How many times do we make a point to thank Him for all the blessings He has bestowed on us?  Or do we only go to God when we need something?  We're good when it comes to running to God when we need Him.  We're good at going to God when we are in trouble and need His help but how often do we make a point to simply thank Him, to show our gratefulness for all He has done for us?   Being grateful is a mindset and showing gratefulness is a habit.  When we come to God, we need to have the mindset of being grateful for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us.  And showing our gratefulness to God is a habit we need to develop.  So many people only seem to call upon God when they need something and they don't speak to Him again until the next time they need something.  We need to thank God each and every day of our lives for all the blessings He bestows upon us.  Thank God daily.  Thank Him for your life.  Thank Him for the blessings in your life.  Bless Him for the salvation He freely offers.  Thank Him for all you possess.

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. 

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity, October 22nd, 2023

 Twentieth Sunday after Trinity, October 22nd, 2023

"So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good:"  (St. Matthew 22:1 ff)

In the Twenty-Second Chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew, Our Blessed Saviour is telling the story of the king who made a marriage-feast for his son.  Now, as the story goes, Our Lord says that the invited guests "made light" of the invitation and decided not to show up for a variety of reasons:   . . . . . "one to his farm, another to his merchandise . . . ."  Now the fact that none of the invited guests showed up once the feast was ready upset the king greatly.  As a result the king instructed his servants to bring guests to the feast, no matter who they were.  Our Lord continues the story as He relates the instructions of the king to his servants:  "Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests."  Now, there are a number of things we could say about this story but I would like to point out two important considerations:

1)  The first thing I would like to point out in this story is that the servants invited as many as they could  . . . . and Our Lord continues . . . . "both bad and good."  Why would Our Lord make the statement "both bad and good?"  Remember the main reason why Our Lord is telling this story to begin with is that He is comparing it to the Kingdom of God.  So, we should always remember that God has love for both the "bad and good."  Our Lord died on the Cross for both the "bad and good."  And Our Heavenly Father invites both the "bad and good" to be with Him in Heaven.   How often though do we not show love to those whom we deem to be "bad?"  How often in our life do we not reach out to certain people because we think of ourselves as "good" and them "bad?"  Our Lord came to this earth to tell everyone  . . . . both bad and good . . . about the Kingdom of God.  He came to instruct everyone in regards to His Heavenly Father.  He did not come to just save the "good."   He came for the "bad" as well.   If Our Blessed Saviour did not differentiate between who was "good" and who was "bad,"  why should we?

2)  The second consideration we should make point to remember is that the original invited guests did not show up because they were more concerned with other things.  Our Lord states that the original invited guests "made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise . . .  "  How many of us in the world "make light" of God's invitation because we are too concerned with "things of the world."  How many of us are too distracted by things in the world to even pay attention to what God is calling us to?  The world offers so many distractions that catch our attention and divert us away from God.  We need to be always vigilant to stay focused on God and not on the things of the world.  This story should help remind us of the importance of this fact that we should stay focused on "things of above" and not on "things below."

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. 

 Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, October 15th, 2023

In the epistle designated for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, we hear from St. Paul's fourth chapter of his Letter to the Ephesians.  In the beginning of this chapter, St.  Paul writes:  "I therefore . . .  beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." (Ephesians 4:1)  Those who are called to be Christians are called to be something truly noble.  That may sound very lofty but it is true. This is because we are called to imitate "light" in a world of "darkness."   This is not very easy at times.  In fact, it's a pretty tall order if you ask me.  But that being said, St. Paul goes on to give some pretty sound advice in this fourth chapter of Ephesians.  In verse 31 of this chapter he writes:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." (Ephesians 4:31)  Probably, I would dare say, this is the best advice of the whole chapter for us to keep in mind.  I say this because we live in a fast paced world.  I would say this is true for all of us.  Whether we are working or retired; whether we live in cities or in small towns; whether we are young or old.  Just about everybody I know . . . . myself included . . .  is constantly busy at doing this or doing that.  Going to work.  Going to doctor's appointments.  Going shopping.  Cleaning the house.  Fixing the house.  Doing yardwork.  Picking up the kids.  Going to games.  The list goes on and on.  And, unfortunately, for many of us . . . .  again, myself included . . . . busy schedules oftentimes lead to stressful living.  And stressful living can lead to short tempers and lack of patience with those around us.  We get angry with the idiots that cut us off in traffic and almost cause a wreck.  We get irritated with the people in front of us at the store who are holding up the checkout line by trying to use coupons that have been expired for five months.  We get mad at people who may have a different opinion than we do.  The list goes on and on.  And while these things may seem insignificant in and of themselves, added all together these things have the potential to make our lives very stressful.  

God does not mean for our lives to be filled with stress and anger and irritation.  Quite frankly, when we get irritated with someone or something . . . . even if we are correct to be irritated . . .  this irritation does not harm the other person;  it harms us.  The other person probably doesn't even know of our irritation and probably wouldn't care anyway even if they would know.  The irritation and the anger and the bitterness is what builds up inside of us and harms us. Period.  St. Paul is warning the church at Ephesus just like he is warning us two-thousand years later:  be filled with things of God instead of things of the world.  Fill yourself with the love of God so that you will not be filled with the anger and bitterness offered by the world.  In a certain sense, we are similar to a pitcher or a glass or a box.  If the container is filled with whatever objects we can think of and the contained is filled to the brim, we can not fit anything else in.  Thus, remove the items from the container so that we can fill the other items in there.  Thus, in that sense, how can we expect to fill ourselves with the love of God if we are already filled with anger and bitterness and hate?  Conversely, how can anger and bitterness and hate fill us if we are already filled with the love of God?

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. 

Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity, October 8th, 2023

 Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity, October 8th, 2023

The beginning of today's Epistle states:  "I thank my God always on your behalf . . . "  (I Corinthians 1:4 ff)  Here, St. Paul is making the point that he thanks God for the witness of faith found in the Church at Corinth.   It is amazing how many times in a day that we say "Thank you."  Have you ever tried to count the number of times that you said these two simple little words in the course of a day?  Probably not but I bet you say it a lot.  If you go to the store and you buy something, the odds are probably good that you say "Thank you" to the cashier after making your purchase.  If someone holds the door for you on the way out, again, the odds are probably good that you once again say "Thank you" to the person showing the courtesy of holding the door for you.  If the waiter takes your order . . .  if the server brings you your drink  . . . . if someone says "God bless you" after you sneeze . . .  I would be willing to bet that you probably said "Thank you" at  each one of these scenarios I just described.   If you have ever worked in the customer service field like I have, you get in the habit of saying "Thank you" a lot!

But how often do we say "Thank you" to God?  As demonstrated above, the odds are that we thank an awful lot of people in the course of a day, week, or month.  But how often have we thanked God during the last 24 hours . . . or week . . .  or month?  Have we thanked Him at all?  We are awfully quick to speak to God when we need something from Him but is that the only time we ever take the time to speak to Him?  When we need a favour?   If we had a friend that only spoke to us when he/she needed something from us, over time, I doubt if we would think very highly of that so-called friend.  And yet that is what we do to God at certain times during our life.  We get busy with the "busy-ness" of everyday living and we do not take time out for God:  to spend time with Him  . . .  . to talk with Him ... . to thank Him.  And then when we get in trouble over one thing or another, then we run to Him and ask Him to help us.  The bottom line is this:  God wants us to run to Him when we are in need.  He wants to help us.  And yet I am willing to bet that He would also like to hear from us for no other reason than to simply say "Hi" or to say "Thank you for the blessings you have given me this day."   Make a point to thank God for what He has given you.

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. 

 Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity, October 1st, 2023

Our Lord gave the example of someone who took the liberty of sitting in a seat of great honour but was embarrassed when they were told to move to a different seat.   Our Lord explained:  "Because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted." (St Luke 14:11)   Now as with all things we always have to be careful that we are doing things the way that God would have us do.  I state this because we are humans and, as such, we usually want to have things done our way.  Secondly, the ways of the world are very appealing and it is easy for us human beings to fall into the ways of the world and doing things the "world's way," so to speak.  We are reminded elsewhere in Scripture to "turn the other cheek."  Even when we do that, so often, in the eyes of the world that is taken as a form of weakness.   But for the devout, committed Christian, we are called to do the will of God here in the world.  This takes patience, endurance, and a surety that we are doing what God would have us do.  Even when we do the right thing, we will often be mocked or questioned.   When Our Lord stated that those of us who humble ourselves will be exalted, He was referring to our exaltation when we get to Heaven to spend eternity with Our Heavenly Father.  Let us not get so fixated on the riches and glory of this world, because the riches and glory of this world are passing away and will pass away.  So many people judge their success by the standards of the world.  We Christians are called to judge our success by whether or not we have served God faithfully.  Riches will come, riches will fade away.  Health will be with us and sickness will come as well.  We will enjoy times of ease and will also endure times of misery.  But whether we are rich or poor; whether we are healthy or sick; the one constant through all these "ups" and "downs" in life will be our relationship with God.  Serve God faithfully.  Have a relationship with Him.  Grow each and every day in your faithfulness to God and always remain faithful to Him. 

 St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. 

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 24th, 2023

 Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 24th, 2023

In the Seventh Chapter of his Gospel, St. Matthew tells us that Our Lord and His Disciples went into the city of Nain and when He entered the city He saw something which obviously touched His Heart:  "Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother"  St. Matthew confirms that Our Lord had compassion on the mother and because of this He raised the young man back to life.  It is Christ Who needs to breathe life into us.  It is Our Blessed Saviour Who needs to give us life.  It is God Who needs to heal us.  So many people in the world today try to find "life" in the things of the world.   The unfortunate thing is that seeking after the things of the world does not give you life.  People think that drugs and alcohol will cure their ills and yet their addiction becomes like a tight collar constantly strangling the life away from them.  People think that more and more riches and possessions will bring true happiness and yet the more we get the more we spend, and we end up on a never-ending merry-go-round always seeking more and more and more.  Never truly satisfied.  We need to turn our hearts over to God.  "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."  (Ephesians 5:14)  Focus on the love of God.  Focus on your relationship with God.   Set your sights on the things of Heaven instead of the things of the world.  Worldly things are short-lived but the love of God lasts an eternity.

 St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. 

Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 17th, 2023

 Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 17th, 2023

In the Sixth Chapter of the Gospel of St. Mathew, Our Lord states:  "NO man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (St. Matthew 6:24)  Growing up, I  was always led to believe that the word "mammon" specifically meant "money."  And yet the word "mammon" is actually an Aramaic word meaning "riches."  So the point that Our Lord was making was that we can not serve both God and our riches, our possessions.  For the Christian, God should be the center of our heart.  It should be God that we focus our attention on.  So many people are proud of their possessions.  They cherish what they possess:  their home, their car, their rich suits, their clothing, etc.  The list goes on and on.  And the list is different for every person.  But for the Christian we should cherish, first and foremost, the relationship we have with God.  Everything else fades away with time but the love of God is eternal.  Man focuses so much time and energy on earthly, material things that ultimately fade into oblivion.  We should focus our time and our energy into serving God and doing His will here on earth.    

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life. 

Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 10th, 2023

 Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 10th, 2023

 Is it just me or are there less and less manners being put into practice by people in today's society?  For example, I enjoy going to a store that sells used movies.   Since the aisles are rather narrow, you have to pass in front of people in order to go down the aisle.  Now, this is not the problem.  Since the aisles are narrow, this is understandable.  What is not understandable to me, though, are the complete lack of manners and total disrespect exhibited by a good percentage of people today.  People will walk right in front of you and never say "Excuse me" or "Sorry" or "Pardon me."    Go ahead and hold a door open for someone today and see if you get a "Thank you" in return for your efforts.  My parents taught me manners while I was growing up.  They taught me to always say "Yes, Ma'am" or "Yes, Sir" when addressing others.  They taught me to say "Please" and "Thank You."  They taught me the art of something we used to call "common courtesy."  You see, common courtesy is something that everyone is capable of if they would just put the effort into it.   I am so grateful that my parents taught me to be courteous and respectful.  It is a skill that I have tried to put into practice my whole life.  Sadly, judging from others around me, it seems that this is a "dying art."  Is it a matter that people were never "taught" manners or is it that they were taught, yes, but they just choose not to be respectful?  It's hard to say.  

In the Seventeenth Chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, we hear about Our Blessed Saviour passing through Samaria and Galilee as He went to Jerusalem.   And as Our Lord traveled, St. Luke tells us, He met ten lepers who begged for healing.  They yelled, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  Our Lord heard their request and told them to go show themselves to the priest.  As they went, they were miraculously healed .  . . . all ten of them.  The curious thing is that all ten lepers were cured but only one leper turned back to thank Our Blessed Saviour.  Only one man who was cured returned to give praise and thanksgiving.  Only one man came back to acknowledge the amazing thing that Our Lord just did for him.  Now in this story it is easy to find fault with the other "nine" who were not courteous enough to turn around and show thanksgiving to Our Blessed Saviour.  But how often do we fail to show thanks to God for all the blessings He shows us on a daily basis?   Do we thank God for blessing us?  Do we go to God daily in prayer to thank Him for the life He has given us?  Do we thank Him for the blessings He has bestowed on us?  How often do we thank God for the wonderful things He does for us?  Our Blessed Saviour was impressed with the Samaritan who turned around and gave thanks to Him for the healing he had received.  Let us pray that Our Blessed Saviour will be impressed with us as well when we thank Him for all the blessings He has bestowed on us.

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life.

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 3rd, 2023

 Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 3rd, 2023

I remember one particular television show which I have not seen in a long time, "Hogan's Heroes."  And in this particular sitcom from the 1960's, one of the main characters is "Sgt. Schultz."  The catch-phrase, I would dare say for Sgt. Schultz would be:  "I know nothing."  He would say this when he caught Hogan and his men doing something that they should not be doing.  And the point being that Sgt. Schultz did not want to know about those things that he saw with his own eyes.  In our own lives, we see lots of things with our own eyes.  Like Sgt. Schultz, sometimes we see things we would rather not see.  But other times we see things that are wonderful to our eyes.  In the tenth chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, Our Blessed Lord is speaking to His disciples and He says to them:  "BLESSED are the eyes which see the things that ye see" (v. 23)  In this verse, of course, Our Saviour is speaking to the disciples but, quite frankly, each one of us has seen the Lord at work in our lives.  Each one of us has seen Our Blessed Lord touch our life in one way or another.  Therefore, blessed are our eyes which have seen the Lord at work in our very life as well.  As human beings, similar to Sgt. Schultz, we see what we want to see and ignore what we want to ignore.  As Christians, though, we need to make a point to look for the things of God.  We need to take note of the ways in which God is working in our life.  You see, God is with us every single day of our life.  But often times we are too busy to even notice.  God gives blessings to every single one of us on a daily basis.  Unfortunately, we usually are more interested in the things of the world to even take notice.  Have you ever had the experience where you were looking for something that you needed, like a pair of eyeglasses, for example,  and you searched and you looked around and you could not find it and then it turned out to be right near you and you never saw it?  It was in plain view all along but you never saw it even though it was right by you all the time.  That's how it is with God very often.  God is with us each and every day.  God blesses us each and every day.  And yet despite this fact, so often we do not take the time to notice.  So often we do not even realize that God is at work in our life.  This is why we need to make the point to search for God on a daily basis.  And once we do, I think many of us will be surprised to see how close He was all along.

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life.  

Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, August 27th, 2023

 Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, August 27th, 2023

In the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, we hear:  ". . . . not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;" (II Corinthians 3:5)  God is the one who makes all things possible.  God is the one who gives us the tools we need to create, develop and produce the amazing things we enjoy in life.  He provides man with the talent and the ability to create amazing things.  We do our part by using the skills and talents we have been blessed with but God makes all things possible.  St. Paul recognized this fact.  "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain . . . " (I Corinthians 15:10)   As faithful, devout Christians we are called to use the skills and talents each one of us possess.  For some, they are good with their hands.  These people can fix things and build things.  While someone else may have the gift of teaching and making things understandable.  Others are gifted with the talent to make beautiful works of art enjoyed by others.  All of us have gifts and talents that only we possess.  We are all called to use the talents that the Good Lord has bestowed upon each one of us.  But first, we need to acknowledge the gift that God has given to us in these varied gifts and talents.  Like St. Paul, we should always remember that our talent, our skill, our ability .. . .  none of these would exist without God.  We depend totally upon God for the blessings we enjoy. 

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life.  

 Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, August 20th, 2023

St. Paul begins the Fifteenth Chapter of his First Epistle to the Corinthians as follows:  "I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand" (I Corinthians 15:1)  Where do we stand?  Do we always stand for God?  Sometimes?  Rarely?   I hear a lot of folks these days speaking about standing up for this belief or standing up for that belief.  I hear a whole lot of folks speaking about standing up for rights.  I hear a whole lot of folks talking about standing up against hatred and taking a stand for freedom.  We hear about a whole bunch of folks these days standing up and taking stands but how often do you hear people saying that they're standing up for God?  That they're standing up for the Gospel?  Each one of us is called as Christians to do what God has called us to do.  He is our Rock and our Foundation upon which we stand firm.  So many people nowadays seem to stand up for whatever the passing fad happens to be.  But we Christians are called to stand firm in our faith.  And in order to do this it takes a long time.  In fact it takes a lifetime of practice.  We people of faith need to stand firm in our beliefs and stand firm in God. 

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life.   

Tenth Sunday after Trinity, August 13th, 2023

 Tenth Sunday after Trinity, August 13th, 2023

St. Luke tells us of Our Lord's triumphal entry to Jerusalem in the Nineteenth chapter of his gospel.  Now, keep in mind that all four of the evangelists tell about this event in their respective gospels but in St. Luke's Gospel, we hear something that is not found in the other three.  ". . . he beheld the city, and wept over it " (St. Luke 19:41)  In other words, St. Luke is describing the fact that as Our Lord beheld the great city of Jerusalem, as He saw it, He began to weep, . . .  . He began to cry.  Now we cry for a multitude of reasons, don't we?  We can cry out of sadness.  We can cry out of frustration.  We can cry even when we are happy . . .  they are called "tears of joy."  Our Lord was crying for all of the above reasons, it seems to me.  He was crying because He was sad.  Sad at the fact that the people wasted so much time and energy on useless pursuits instead of pursuing a relationship with God.  He cried too out of frustration because He knew that despite all of the best efforts of the prophets, despite the efforts of St. John the Baptist and all the holy men and women of God, and, now, despite the best efforts of the Son of God Himself, despite all these efforts and energies, people still turned their back on God!  And, finally, Our Lord was crying with some joy in His heart because He knew that there is hope for all those that He saw.  Our Lord is the hope of the world!  Our Blessed Saviour is the remedy for all the illnesses of the world.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life!  

As parents, we want the absolute best for our children.  In particular, we want them to have the best "future" that they possibly can with the best job, with the best home, with the best spouse, etc.  We want them to be happy but we don't want them to settle for the "second best."  But, as parents, we still need to let our children live their own life when they grow up.  As babies, as children, we have to make decisions on their behalf but when they grow up, they have to live their own life.  And, sometimes, as parents, we are disappointed in the choices that our children make.  It grieves us and frustrates us as parents because we don't want our children to settle for "second best."  This is why Our Lord was crying for the children of Jerusalem because He knew that they could have so much more by following God but instead they settled for "second best."  And Our Lord certainly knew that despite the fact that He died on the Cross many souls would still choose to turn their back on God.  Let us never turn our back on God.  Let us never settle for "second best."  Let us always choose the "best" way of life . .  . and that is a personal relationship with Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life.

Transfiguration of Our Lord, August 6th, 2023

 Transfiguration of Our Lord, August 6th, 2023

We read in the Ninth Chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke the story of the Transfiguration of Our Blessed Saviour.  In this Ninth Chapter, we hear that St Peter; St John; and St James accompanied Our Lord to pray.  Now, bear in mind as we read of this account that a marvelous event is about to unfold:  Our Lord will not only be transfigured as "His countenance was altered," (v. 29) but also that Moses and Elias will appear alongside Our Lord.   Now, imagine if you will, all of this happening in front of YOUR eyes.  How would you react?  What would you do?  What would be your reaction to all of this have been?  Well, in Verse 32, we hear what happened to St Peter, St James and St John:  "But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with Him." (St. Luke 9:32)  " .  . .  THEY WERE HEAVY WITH SLEEP  . . . ."  Really?  Heavy with sleep?  Seriously?  I mean, come on, how can this be?  Here you are, you find yourself with the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.  You are in His Presence where not only He is transfigured:  His "countenance was altered" and "His raiment was white and glistening."  If this wasn't enough, Moses and Elias appear alongside of Him.  And St Peter and the boys fall asleep?  Seriously?!?!?!   It wasn't until they awoke from their sleep that, as St. Luke tells us:  " . . . . and when they were awake, they saw his glory .  . . . ."   You know, it is so easy to be a "back-seat driver," isn't it?  It is really easy to make "commentary" about others when it is not us walking in their shoes.  As St. Luke tells us it was not UNTIL they awoke that they were able to see the glory of the Lord.  That's really how it is with us as well, quite frankly.  Have you ever told someone or has anyone ever told you in the course of a conversation:  "Wake up!"  "Why don't you wake up?!?"  "Wake up and smell the coffee!"  When someone says something along these lines, what they're really saying is "Wake up to reality."  "Come back to reality."  Well, for Peter, James and John, it wasn't until they woke up that they were able to truly see the glory of the Lord.  We, too, like them need to "wake up" out of our sleep in order to see the glory of the Lord.  So many of us are lost in a deep sleep as well.  We are sleeping and dreaming about the things of the world:  money, and nice clothes, and food, and drink, and power, and possessions.   We day-dream about these things and more and focus our lives around them.  But until we wake up from our sleep . .. . Until we wake up from our dreams of worldly things we lust after . . . . until we awaken, it will be then that we will be able to fully appreciate the majesty of Our Blessed Saviour and see Him in His full glory.  We can not see His Glory because we are so busy looking at the things of the world.  Have you ever seen something in the corner of your eye but you didn't see it fully because you really looking at something else?   Quite frankly, that is how it is for us when it comes to things of God.  We have good intentions.  We want to be good.  We want to listen to God.  We want to do what God would have us do.  But we get sidetracked.  Our attention gets diverted.  We end up focusing on something else.  Let us be like St Peter and St James and St John.  Let us wake out of our sleep so that we can see the glory of the Lord.  Let us always focus on Our Blessed Saviour so that we can appreciate His glory and His majesty.

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life.

Eighth Sunday after Trinity, July 30th, 2023

 Eighth Sunday after Trinity, July 30th, 2023

I am sure that you have heard the expression that someone is "bigger than life."  Someone who is "bigger than life" is a person that is known for doing things in a wild way or who is known for doing something dangerous or exciting.  Like, for example, a race car driver or a movie star.  We meet a person with a "big personality" and we say he/she is "bigger than life."  You could say that a person "bigger than life" is someone who points to something beyond his or her self:  they do a dangerous job . . . they have a unique hobby . . . . they take care of dangerous animals, for example.  In a strange sort of a way, all of us point to something beyond us.    Each one of us represent something to someone else.    Well, for example, to a store owner, you are not just a person, you are a customer or a potential customer.  If you have a spouse, you are a husband or wife.  If you have children, you are a parent.  If you like a particular sports team, you are a fan.  The list goes on and on.  To your boss, you are an employee.  It is rare that we are just merely our self, in other words.  Typically, we represent something beyond our self.  In other words, we fill roles that point beyond our self.  People don't look at us and just see . . . . Jack  . . . . or Mary . . .  or Gladys . . . . etc.  When people look at us they see rather . .   . a scout leader . . .  a customer . . . . a potential customer . . .  a parent . .  a neighbor, etc.

As Christians, we are also called not to point to our self but rather we are called to point to something greater than our self.  We are called to point to something beyond our self:  God.  In a certain sense, this is why Our Lord gave a warning about false shepherds who were only looking out for themselves.  "BEWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." (St. Matthew 7:15 ff)  A true man or woman of God points beyond themselves.  They point to someone greater than they are.  A false prophet will only worry about fulfilling their own needs and not the needs of others.  A false prophet will spend their time feeding their own desires and making sure their own needs are met.  A false prophet will want all of the attention focused solely on them . . . they want the spotlight focused on them alone.  But we as true,  committed Christians are called to focus the light on God.  We are called to point towards God and not to ourselves.  We should learn to imitate St. John the Baptist when he said:  "He must increase, I must decrease." (St. John 3:30)

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life.

Seventh Sunday after Trinity, July 23rd, 2023

 Seventh Sunday after Trinity, July 23rd, 2023

We have all heard about the famous "feeding of the multitude" or the "multiplication of the loaves and fishes."  In the beginning of the Eighth Chapter of St. Mark's Gospel, we hear of the feeding of the four thousand.   We all know what happened in regards to what Our Lord did and what He did to perform this miracle:  He multiplied the few loaves and fishes they had in order to feed the thousands gathered to hear Our Lord.  But I don't want to focus on the miracle right now.  I would prefer to focus on why Our Lord performed the miracle.  I want to focus on the reason He chose to do what He did.  In the second verse of this chapter, we hear the following:  "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:" (St. Mark 8:2)  Our Lord took notice of the crowd.  He saw their faces.  He took notice that they had been with Him for three days.  And because of all these things and more, He had compassion on them.  In speaking to the multitude, He looked after their spiritual needs but in feeding them the loaves and fishes He looked after their physical needs.  Our Lord cares about His children.  Our Lord has compassion on His children because He loves us.  He shows His care on a daily basis.  How often do we show our care for Our Heavenly Father?  How often do we, as His children, return the love shown to us by Our Father?  Do we take time to spend time with God and if we do, how often?  On a daily basis?  Once a week?  Once a year?  Or perhaps we only go to God when we need something.  Maybe we only go to God it seems that we are out of all our other options.  We show care and concern for the things we care for.  If we spent a lot of money on a car we work to keep it looking nice.  If we have a collection of things, we take care of it, don't we?  We care for and look after the things we love.  So the question remains:  what do we do in regard to our relationship with God?  Do we spend time with Him or do we ignore Him?  Do we listen to Him or are we too busy listening to the world?  God  cares for us.  He loves us.  He wants the best for us.  The question is do we care for God?  If you do, how do you show that love?  Only you can answer that question.

St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.  

Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to:  hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life.  Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life.