"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another."
The Gospel According To St. John Chapter 13, Verses 34 and 35
Fifth Edition of The New Oxford Annotated Bible New Revised Standard Version
"The God behind you is bigger than any problem before you."
Bishop Barbara Clementine Harris (1930 - 2020)
The ninth complete reading of the Bible ended on Sunday, February 26, 2023 and the tenth complete reading of the Bible will begin on Monday, April 10, 2023 (the day after Easter).
We are currently reading the Bible from beginning to end, reading at the rate of 3 to 7 pages per day (depending upon the size of the print of the Bible that you choose to use for the reading). Get your favorite version of the Bible and join in this rewarding journey. Feel free to invite your relatives and friends to come on this journey too ! Each day, word will be posted about the Bible verses that you should read for that day.. If you'd like to use one of the newer versions of the Bible for your reading, you might enjoy using the Fifth Edition of The New Oxford Annotated Bible New Revised Standard Version.
Note: The men and women who are currently recognized as Saints by The Episcopal Church are cited under the date that has been designated to recall and remember them.
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 1, Verse 1 through Chapter 4, Verse 20 (Genesis 1:1 - 4:20).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 4, Verse 21 through Chapter 9, Verse 8 (Genesis 4:21 - 9:8).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 9, Verse 9 through Chapter 13, Verse 13 (Genesis 9:9 - 13:13).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 13, Verse 14 through Chapter 18, Verse 9 (Genesis 13:14 - 18:9).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 18, Verse 10 through Chapter 21, Verse 17 (Genesis 18:10 - 21:17).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 21, Verse 18 through Chapter 24, Verse 40 (Genesis 21:18 - 24:40).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 24, Verse 41 through Chapter 27, Verse 9 (Genesis 24:41 - 27:9).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 27, Verse 10 through Chapter 30, Verse 10 (Genesis 27:10 - 30:10).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 30, Verse 11 through Chapter 32, Verse 12 (Genesis 30:11 - 32:12).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 32, Verse 13 through Chapter 36, Verse 5 (Genesis 32:13 - 36:5).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 36, Verse 6 through Chapter 38, Verse 30 (Genesis 36:6 - 38:30).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 39, Verse 1 through Chapter 42, Verse 1 (Genesis 39:1 - 42:1).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 42, Verse 2 through Chapter 44, Verse 32 (Genesis 42:2 - 44:32).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 44, Verse 33 through Chapter 48, Verse 3 (Genesis 44:33 - 48:3).
Today, we are reading Genesis Chapter 48, Verse 4 through Exodus Chapter 1, Verse 20 (Genesis 48:4 - Exodus 1:20).
We've completed a reading of Genesis in 15 days.
Today, we are reading Exodus Chapter 1, Verse 21 through Chapter 5, Verse 13 (Exodus 1:21 - 5:13).
Today, we are reading Exodus Chapter 5, Verse 14 through Chapter 8, Verse 28 (Exodus 5:14 - 8:28).
Today, we are reading Exodus Chapter 8, Verse 29 through Chapter 12, Verse 14 (Exodus 8:29 - 12:14).
Today, we are reading Exodus Chapter 12, Verse 15 through Chapter 14, Verse 31 (Exodus 12:15 - 14:31).
Today, we are reading Exodus Chapter 15, Verse 1 through Chapter 18, Verse 13 (Exodus 15:1 - 18:13).
Today, we are reading Exodus Chapter 18, Verse 14 through Chapter 22, Verse 4 (Exodus 18:14 - 22:4).
Cross: In the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitatory Bead: Lord, show us your mercy, raise our minds to heaven, keep us from all evil, give the departed eternal rest. Drive plague, famine, and war from all nations and bestow on all nations the gift of peace.
Cruciform Beads: Oh God of light, from whom every good gift comes, send your Spirit into our lives and by the flame of your wisdom open the horizons of our minds, loosen our tongues to sing your praise in words and to go beyond speech to praise you in the silence deep within our hearts.
The Weeks: Reflect on each scripture passage with these words at each bead as indicated:
1. I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
2. I am the Gate (John 10:9)
3. I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:14)
4. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
5. I am the True Vine (John 15:1)
6. On the Road To Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35)
7. Spend a minute or so in an attitude of silence.
(Last time through:)
Invitatory Bead: The Lord's Prayer
Cross: I bless and praise you, Lord. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Used with written permission from Washington National Cathedral.
Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love.
We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side.
We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us.
We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowlege our dependence on you alone.
Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying, through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.
Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know Christ and make him known; and through him, at all times and in all places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer copyright 1979 Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, New York 10016. All rights reserved. Used with written permission from Church Publishing Incorporated.
The Episcopal Church shield is a familiar symbol found on signs and in newspaper ads in cities and towns throughout the United States, usually accompanied by the words, "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You," together with information about a local church's location and worship schedule.
The shield and its corresponding Episcopal Church flag were officially adopted by the General Convention of 1940 and are rich in symbolism. The shield is usually presented in red, white, and blue. The red cross on a white field is an ancient Christian symbol, white representing the purity of Jesus and red representing his sacrifice on the cross and the blood of Christian martyrs. The red cross is also known as the cross of St. George, patron saint of England, and indicates the Episcopal Church's descent from the Church of England. The blue field in the upper left is the color traditionally associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary and is symbolic of Jesus' human nature, which he received from his mother. The X-shaped cross is the cross of St. Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, and recalls the Episcopal Church's indebtedness to the Scottish Episcopal Church for the consecration of its first bishop, Samuel Seabury, as Bishop of Connecticut in 1784. The St. Andrew's cross is made up of nine smaller cross-crosslets that represent the nine original American dioceses which met in Philadelphia in 1789 to adopt the constitution of the Episcopal Church. They are: Connecticut (established 1783), Maryland (1783), Massachusetts (1784), Pennsylvania (1784), New Jersey (1785), New York (1785), South Carolina (1785), Virginia (1785), and Delaware (1786).
The Episcopal Handbook copyright 2008 Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, New York 10016. All rights reserved.
Used with written permission from Church Publishing Incorporated.
The Episcopal Church has congregations in the United States and in seventeen other countries. Those countries are: Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Micronesia, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Taiwan, Venezuela, Virgin Islands.
In 2021, The Episcopal Church had 1,520,388 active, baptized members and 6,294 parishes and missions in the United States.