Category: Blog

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, please pray for

Youth Leaders and Volunteers in the Diocese

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for

The Anglican Church of Bangladesh

February 14

The Feast Day of Cyril and Methodius

On February 14 The Episcopal Church recognizes Cyril and Methodius, brothers born in Thessalonika who were apostles to the southern Slavs and founders of the Slavic literary culture. (I dare you to send your loved one a card that says Happy Cyril and Methodius Day!) Check your handy Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2022 for more on Cyril and Methodius and get their Collect of the Day.

The rest of the country will be celebrating St. Valentine’s Day. According to the History Channel, St. Valentine (a real person who died in the third century AD) was a martyr with acts “known only to God.” Some say he was a temple priest who was beheaded near Rome by emperor Claudius II for helping Christian couples get married. Other accounts claim he was a the Bishop of Terni – but still killed by Claudius. Because of the confusion (maybe there were two guys?), the Catholic Church discontinued liturgical veneration of St. Valentine in 1969 but he is still officially recognized as the patron saint of lovers, those with epilepsy, and beekeepers. What those have in common is known only to God.

I happen to know two Valentines. One is a boy. One is a girl. What about you? Do you know someone named after a saint?

We plan on adding some of these dates to our own website calendar over time. For now here is a more comprehensive list from Episcopal Diocese of Nevada.

• 1-Dec First Sunday of Advent: The Anglican Communion
• 8-Dec Second Sunday of Advent: The Episcopal Church
• 15-Dec Third Sunday of Advent 3: Diocesan Staff
• 22-Dec Fourth Sunday of Advent 4: St. Thomas, Las Vegas (Feast Day 12/21)
• 29-Dec First Sunday after Christmas: St. Thomas the Believer at the Lovelock Correctional Facility, Lovelock
• 5-Jan Second Sunday after Christmas: Missionaries and Church Planters
• 12-Jan First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of our Lord: Epiphany, Las Vegas (Feast Day 1/6)
• 19-Jan Second Sunday after the Epiphany: Diocesan Vestries and Parish Annual Meetings
• 26-Jan Third Sunday after the Epiphany: St. Timothy, Henderson (Feast Day 1/26)
• 2-Feb Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany: Diocesan Deacons
• 9-Feb Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany: Christ Church, Pioche
• 16-Feb Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany: Diocesan Youth leaders and Volunteers
• 23-Feb Seventh Sunday after Epiphany: Grace in the Desert, Las Vegas
• 2-Mar Last Sunday after Epiphany: Galilee Episcopal Camp and Retreat Center, Glenbrook
• 9-Mar First Sunday in Lent: Our Mission District Deans and Conveners
• 16-Mar Second Sunday in Lent: St. Patrick, Incline Village
• 23-Mar Third Sunday in Lent: Diocesan Standing Committee
• 30-Mar Fourth Sunday in Lent: St. Mark, Tonopah
• 6-Apr Fifth Sunday in Lent: Non-parochial and special licensed clergy
• 13-Apr Palm Sunday: Treasurers and finance volunteers of the Diocese of Nevada
• 20-Apr Easter
• 27-Apr Second Sunday of Easter: St. George, Austin
• 4-May Third Sunday of Easter: Diocesan Chancellors
• 11-May Fourth Sunday of Easter: St. Catherine of Siena, Reno
• 18-May Fifth Sunday of Easter: Holy Spirit, Bullhead City
• 25-May Sixth Sunday of Easter: Holy Trinity, Fallon
• 1-Jun Seventh Sunday of Easter: Trinity Cathedral, Reno
• 8-Jun Pentecost: Whitsunday Commission on Ordination and Licensing
• 15-Jun First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday Church volunteers and staff
• 22-Jun Second Sunday after Pentecost: Western Missionary Museum at Old St. Paul, Virginia City
• 29-Jun Third Sunday after Pentecost: St. John in the Wilderness, Glenbrook
• 6-Jul Fourth Sunday after Pentecost: St. Paul, Sparks
• 13-Jul Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: St. Peter, Carson City
• 20-Jul Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: St. Paul, Elko
• 27-Jul Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: Mesquite Episcopal Lutheran Community Church
• 3-Aug Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: St. Michael and All Angels, Wadsworth
• 10-Aug Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: St. Christopher, Boulder City
• 17-Aug Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: St. Mary the Virgin, Nixon
• 24-Aug Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost: St. Bartholomew, Ely
• 31-Aug Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: Postulants and those in discernment
• 7-Sept Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Lay Eucharistic Ministers and Visitors
• 14-Sept Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Diocesan Retired Clergy and Surviving Spouses of Clergy
• 21-Sept Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Coventry Cross, Minden
• 28-Sept Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost: St. Matthew | San Mateo, Las Vegas
• 5-Oct Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost: Grace Saint Francis, Lovelock 
• 12-Oct Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Episcopal Women, Daughters of the King, and Episcopal Community
• 19-Oct Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost: St. Luke, Las Vegas
• 26-Oct Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, Boulder City
• 2-Nov All Saints Observed: All Saints | Todos los Santos, Las Vegas
• 9-Nov Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost: St. Martin in the Desert, Pahrump
• 16-Nov Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost: Society of the Magi and Stewardship Teams
• 23-Nov Christ the King: Christ Church | Cristo Rey, Las Vegas
• 30-Nov First Sunday of Advent

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 

click here for the readings

In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, please pray for
St. Thomas Episcopal, Las Vegas
The Rev. Tim Swonger, Priest

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for
the Church of the Province of Uganda

from Ministry Architects with minor edits

Psalm 23:3 reminds us, “He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

Advent is a beautiful time of living in the liminal space of already and not yet. Even though it is 2024, and we know Jesus was born, lived, died, and rose again more than 2000 years ago, believers like us continue to make space for the practice of waiting.

Waiting is complicated. For kids, waiting is the worst. It fuels impatience, strengthens impulses, and creates a playground for imaginations to run wild, often making an ask for forgiveness sound a whole lot better than an ask for permission.

For adults, it’s not much different. Rare is the grown-up for whom waiting doesn’t feel like excruciating inaction. And when trials are too much, or tasks seem trivial – that’s the height of our desire to just do something. 

The problem is, those somethings we do aren’t always in line with our Lord. In fact, little else feeds the imbalance of our record to go rogue than when we have to wait. In these moments, we hold a great propensity to flounder instead of follow, completely forgetting that waiting with the Lord isn’t inaction at all. Waiting with the Lord presents a perfect opportunity for restoration.

Think about it: Waiting offers concentrated time to pause and reflect on whether the path we’re walking is God’s or our own. Waiting can lead to listening, where we can work out if fear or loneliness is speaking louder than the comfort, guidance, and strength that our very present God supplies.

Advent is a reminder we get to live differently than the rest of the world, and that includes how we wait. How are you celebrating this season of waiting?

Here are two suggestions as you consider your Advent call to wait:

• Take 2
• Take 2 minutes and think about the last time you had to wait. Really wait.

Who was a part of that time? What was the situation? Did you find peace in the pause – or did you fill the moments with movements, either scrolling through a phone or doing anything to avoid just being present in the wait?

Think-on-Three:

1. Where in your world does fear, loneliness, or floundering have a presence? 
2. How might your soul need to be restored in the Lord this season?
3. Who waits well in your life – and who is watching you wait, learning how it’s done?

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. 

In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, please pray for
The Episcopal Church

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for
the Anglican Church of Tanzania

Originally published in a newsletter by:

The Episcopal Diocese of Nevada
P.O. Box 2857 Trinity Episcopal Cathedral 
Reno, NV 89505 US
EpiscopalNevada.org

Advent is a wonderful time to begin or restart a practice as we watch and wait for Christ. The clergy of the diocese share during this time of year ways they continued to grow their faith and leadership. What is below comes from one of the very best priests we have in The Episcopal Church and we are blessed to have them here with us. When asked how they connected their learning with ministry the answer was: Prayer! You can see what they said below. Perhaps adding prayer is a good thing to try this Advent season.

Goal and Ministry Connection: Prayer! Often during ‘ministerial meetings’ or other gatherings when asked ‘who wants to pray’ the Episcopalians bow their heads and look away, avoid volunteering. Is it because we don’t have our BCP’s at hand? Too shy to lead in public? Or feel inadequate in ‘how to pray’?

In almost every class I facilitate (or workshops I lead) I encourage folks to pray from the heart.

There are no rules! Prayer is a conversation with God. A collection of books (from a variety of authors, spiritual leaders, etc.), resources about prayer/meditation, and conversation about prayer have boosted my confidence to say, “YES’! I will lead us in prayer.” My ‘goal’ (even though I didn’t think about it as such) is to empower all to say ‘yes’. To open the door to prayer, encourage folks not to be afraid to pray aloud, to share their concerns. At the same time, I have done more teaching about the prayers/collects/offices in the BCP (homilies, classes, trainings, evening services). Many folks are not aware of the rich resource the BCP provides for all occasions (individually and in groups). 

“Our service begins on page 355 in the Book of Common Prayer” may be the only ‘pages’ they’ve explored.

Do we have enough money in the budget to purchase take home copies for everyone in the diocese? Just kidding!

YES! If you would like your own Book of Common Prayer click the button below. We will get you a BCP to explore its rich history, amazing theology, and gorgeous prayers. Link to Book of Common Prayer

March 13, 2022

God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace, for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear, that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Amen.
– Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and Archbishop Stephen Cottrell of York Church of England.