St. James' Episcopal Church

Downingtown, Pa.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • About Us
    • Our Parish Family
    • A Call to Worship
    • Clergy and Staff
    • The Vestry
    • History of St James’
    • Online Giving Card
  • Worship
    • Worship Services
    • Music Ministry
    • Schedule of Sunday Ministries
    • Sermons
  • Parish Life
    • Church School
    • Christian Youth Group
    • Adult Christian Education
    • St. James’ Preschool
    • Vacation Bible School (VBS)
    • Monthly Calendar
  • Outreach
    • Thrift Shop
    • Lord’s Pantry
    • St. James’ Place
    • Protecting the Earth
  • News
    • Recent Updates
    • Steeple Notes Newsletter
  • Visit Us
  • Giving
You are here: Home / News / Readings and stuff for Sunday (Oct 24)

Readings and stuff for Sunday (Oct 24)

10/22/2010 by Luann McIlvaine

Hi everyone.
 
Back to the normal service schedule this Sunday.  The next "joint service" will be on December 5 (2nd Advent) when we celebrate the end of the capital campaign.
 
The first reading for this Sunday is from the Book of Sirach, and I'll bet a week's pay that most people have never heard of this book of the Bible.  The more common name for the book is "Ecclesiasticus", but in recent years the Church has tried to avoid calling it that because it's often confused with the similarly-named "Ecclesiastes" – see? 
 
Ecclesias is a Greek word that means "church"
 
Ecclesiastes means "preacher"
Ecclesiasticus means "book of the church"
 
Aren't you glad we've finally got that straightened out.  Both of these books are part of the "wisdom literature" of the Hebrew Bible. 
 
The Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament,  is divided into four categories.
 
The oldest part of the Bible, the first five books of Moses, is called the "Torah" or "the Law".
 
Next come the writings of the Prophets.
 
This is followed by the Histories (like Chronicles or First and Second Kings)
 
Finally comes the Wisdom Literature (Psalms, Wisdom of Solomon and Ecclesiastes).
 
The Puritans of New England used to teach that the Torah tells us what God wants us to do; The Prophets tell us what happens if we don't; The Histories tells us what happened when we didn't; The Wisdom Literature tells us what happens when we do.
 
Thank you and God bless you for all you do for our parish family. 

Tim.

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Readings

Subscribe to our blog

Enter your email address receive notifications of new blog articles by email.

Topics

Recent Articles

  • We are Happy to Welcome Father Richard Morgan as our New Priest in Charge
  • Christmas Season Services
  • How to Help the Lord’s Pantry this ’22 Holiday Season
  • In memory of Father John W. Symonds
  • Thrift Shop Renamed

Article Topics by Popularity

1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Peter 1 Samuel 2 Corinthians 2 John 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy 12 Step 175th Anniversary Acts Adopt-A-Highway advent auction book club christian education Deuteronomy Ephesians Exodus Fellowship Galatians Genesis Hebrews Isaiah James Jeremiah john ladies craft night Lent lords pantry Luke Mark Matthew Philippians preschool Readings revelation Romans Stewardship Sunday School Support Group thrift shop VBS vestry women

Join Us

409 E. Lancaster Ave
Downingtown, PA 19335
610-269-1774

Office Hours
Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Friday: Closed

parishoffice@
stjameschurchdowningtown.com

Site Dedication

This site was made possible by, and is dedicated to, the Loving Memory of Judy Dress.

Recent Recorded Sermons

Second Sunday in Lent

First Sunday in Lent

Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

The Presentation of Our Lord

Subscribe to newsletter

Enter your email address to receive weekly news and updates about our church activities.

Trusted Church Links

  • The Episcopal Church
  • The Diocese of Pennsylvania
  • The Book of Common Prayer – Online
  • The Lectionary Page
  • Oremus Bible Browser
  • Parish Directory
  • A Shepherd in the Field


Copyright © 1843–2023 St. James' Episcopal Church · All Rights Reserved.
Return to top of page
Website by Cap Web Solutions