How Turkish was your Turkey? And even more important, how does your Turkey connect to your Prayer Book? (Be assured that it certainly does.) A M-R The modern day mass farmed turkey widely served in America at Thanksgiving (and very commonly in Britain on Christmas day where it has tended to supplant the goose) is not it seems a very direct descendant of the ‘small, bright- eyed’ turkeys that were probably served at the famous initial Thanksgiving meals initiated by English settlers in … [Read more...]
Choral Evensong with Sermon For the Feast of St Benedict
Evensong upon the Feast of St Benedict of Nursia Abbot of Monte Cassino, c. 540 The Grosvenor Chapel, Mayfair London Officiant and preacher: The Revd Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff Introit : Venite adoremus, Mode VII Psalm 27, 10-16 Dominus illuminatio ; Lessons: Proverbs 2:1-9 ; Luke 14:27–33 Preces and Responses, Radcliffe; The Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, Howells in B minor The Anthem: Lord I have loved the habitation, Tomkins Recessional Hymn: Rendez à … [Read more...]
American Independence began with an act of free speech.
The Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull, 1819 June 6, 1756 – November 10, 1843, “The Painter of the Revolution” Born in Lebanon, Connecticut, to Jonathan Trumbull and Faith (née Robinson) Trumbull. His father served as Governor of Connecticut from 1769 to 1784. He entered the 1771 junior class at Harvard College at the age of fifteen and graduated in 1773. After services as a soldier in the American Revolutionary War, he travelled to London, where upon an introduction from … [Read more...]
Readings, Sermon and Liturgical Resources for the Third Sunday After Trinity
The Readings 1 Peter 5:5-11 All of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that … [Read more...]
The Feast of St Bede
The Venerable Bede from a manuscript in the British Library From a Letter on the Death of the Venerable Bede By St Cuthbert (Nn. 4-6: PL 90, 64-66) On Tuesday before the feast of the Ascension, Bede’s breathing became labored and a slight swelling appeared in his legs. Nevertheless, he gave us instruction all day long and dictated cheerfully the whole time. It seemed to us, however, that he knew very well that his end was near, and so he spent the whole night giving thanks to … [Read more...]
Sermon for the Sunday after Ascension Day
Hans (Suess) von Kulmbach, 1513 (born c. 1480 in Kulmbach, Franconia, died. c. 3 December 1522 in Nuremberg), He was the artist who created the Kraków St John's Altar. Preacher: The Revd. Fr Gavin Dunbar St John's Church Savannah If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.1 … [Read more...]
Lessons for Lent : Chastity (from the Archives)
Virtus vel voluptas? Lorenzo Lotto: Allegory of Chastity, c. 1505, .National Gallery, London nhttps://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.288.html The Revd. Samuel L. Edwards in 1986 wrote a long article for the Newsletter of the Evangelical and Catholic Mission which he later summarized for the Journal of the Prayer Book Society in 1995, under the heading: Sexuality and the Christian. The article set out with his usual clarity four lines of thought. First, he reframed our … [Read more...]
A Sermon in the Season of Epiphany
The Baptism of the Lord Sermon Notes A. Macdonald-Radcliff For an audio version please go to: https://www.theadventboston.org/sermon-preached-by-fr-macdonald-radcliff-january-13-2019/ (The Readings of the day are appended Isaiah 42:1-9, Psalm 89, Acts 10:34-38, Luke 3:15-16, 21-22) In the name of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost… It is striking that the Church calendar, after the great Feast of Christmas plunges rather rapidly after Low Sunday into two particularly … [Read more...]
Simnel: the (considerable) history behind a cake.
Easter and Simnel: The history behind a cake The history of the Simnel cake is much controverted, but what is clear is that it has come to have a close association with Easter and the Season that follows Easter Day itself as well as Mothers Day This cake certainly contains an abundance of things that people have often given up during Lent and is a very fine cake indeed, replete with almond paste covering and eleven balls of the same almond paste on top (representing the Apostles other … [Read more...]
Lent II 2018
As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. Proverbs 26:11 The season of Lent is nothing if it does not confuse human wisdom and turn man’s expectations upside down. For what the lections of this Holy Season attempt to show us is that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He takes the wise in their own craftiness. (1 Cor. iii. 19) And again, as Isaiah records, therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people…for … [Read more...]
Septuagesima Sunday
So the last shall be first, and the first last:for many be called, but few chosen.(St. Matthew xx. 14-16) We have just completed our Epiphany-tide pilgrimage and now are entering what is called pre-Lent. The season we have left behind has been characterized by illumination and manifestation. In it, we saw that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us whom we discovered to be the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth (St. John i. 14). Now we turn to a period in the … [Read more...]
Christmas Day
That day is called the birthday of the Lord on which the Wisdom of God manifested Himself as a speechless Child and the Word of God wordlessly uttered the sound of a human voice. His divinity, although hidden, was revealed by heavenly witness to the Magi and was announced to the shepherds by angelic voices. With yearly ceremony, therefore, we celebrate this day which saw the fulfillment of the prophecy…(St. Augustine sermon clxxxv) Tonight, we come to the cradle, the cratch, the manger, and … [Read more...]
St. Michael & All Angels
THERE was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. (Rev. xii. 7) Today is the Feast of St. Michael & All Angels. It is our Patronal Feast. And, evidently, our Patron and His angelic compatriots are soldiers of war. We don’t tend to think of angels –and St. Michael is a sainted angel, as being at war at all. Because of the modern psychologizing of Christianity, … [Read more...]
Trinity IX
Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. (St. Luke xvi. 9) In last week’s Gospel we prayed that God’s never failing providence that ruleth all things both in heaven and in earth [might] put away from us all hurtful things and [might] give to us those things which are profitable (Collect: Trin. VIII) for our salvation. And this week Jesus illustrates how we might apply what we know of God’s providence to … [Read more...]
Quinquagesima Sunday
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem (Matthew 20. 18) The Gesima season ends with an invitation to another beginning. Behold we go up. (Matt. 20. 18) We are invited on to yet another road, a spiritual road that leads to our death and new life with God. The road which we will tread is not an easy one. It will require a new and determined readiness. It will demand serious moral introspection. It will call for drastic measures as we learn how to hand over our sin to the Lord for death. It will demand a … [Read more...]
Septuagesima Sunday
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. (St. Matthew xx. 14-16) We have just completed our journey from Advent through to Epiphany-tide. The season we have observed has been a time of illumination and manifestation. In it we saw that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us whom we discovered to be the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. Now we turn to a period in the Church’s life extending from Septuagesima Sunday … [Read more...]
Cooking with Cranmer: From the Feast of Mary Magdalene to Proust’s favorite cake, Are Madeleines A Feminist Issue?
Cooking with Cranmer… Looking at the rising status of The Feast of Mary Magdalene And that unique “plaisir délicieux” of Madeleine cakes by Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff (For two version of the classic recipe and the full text see the link below) From Magdalene to Madeleines Some of the most famous words in the vast oeuvre of Marcel Proust relate to the awakening that overcame him upon the smallest taste of a single tiny cake one afternoon when taking tea: ….je … [Read more...]