Sunday Services

Sunday School - 9:30 am

Holy Communion - 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays, 10:30 am

Morning Prayer - 2nd and 4th Sundays, 10:30 am

Thursday Services

Evening Prayer/Bible Study, 7 pm

Reaching out to the least, the lonely, and the lost

Holy Communion Service at Friendship South

2nd and 4th Sundays, 2:30 pm

Thoughts from the Lectionary: The Ninth Sunday after Trinity

From the Gospel Lesson: St. Luke 15:11- 32

Vss. 21-24 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

This portion of Scripture is the familiar parable known as the parable of the Prodigal Son. Jesus here relates a story of a young man who acquires his inheritance early and proceeds to squander it in a country far from his home. Coming soon into abject poverty he gets a job as a laborer feeding pigs for a man of the country in which he had settled, however, this employment was insufficient to meet even his most basic needs. He sees the “pig slop” that he’s feeding the pigs as practically a feast. In his penury he begins to realise that he has been foolish and decides to return to his home country and the house of his father that he left so hastily when he was flush with wealth. Upon his return he confesses his foolishness to his father (who had been daily waiting for his son’s return) stating that he is no longer worthy to be called a son and is lower than the lowest servant. Instead of responding in anger his father provides the best of clothing and food for his beloved son extending his richest hospitality to him and welcoming him home. He even places a valuable robe upon him and a ring on his son’s finger to show and confirm his complete forgiveness of his child and his son’s restoration.

One thing that can be noted of this story is this, the young man was The Prodigal Son not a prodigal stranger. He erred, but he returned home to his father who joyously received him. “Come ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded sick and sore; Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pity love and pow’r.” (Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy ~ J. Hart 1759). Come home. If you believe and have strayed, come home. If you have never believed but now feel and see your need of Christ, come home. You who have been in the far country for so long, come home to Christ.

Blessings,

Fr. Duane+