Commemorations:

Monday, May 01, 2017 – Philip and James, Apostles

Philip was one of the first disciples of Jesus, and called Nathanael to “come and see.” He later responded to an Ethiopian official’s request for teaching and baptism. Little is known of James, the son of Alphaeus, called “the Less” to distinguish him from another apostle named James.

Tuesday, May 02, 2017 Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, died 373 Best remembered for defending the teaching that Christ was fully God against those who taught otherwise, Athanasius was an influential church leader around the time of the Council of Nicea. He was banished from Alexandria five times for his forthright views.

Thursday, May 04, 2017 Monica, mother of Augustine, died 387 Monica was married to a pagan husband who was ill-tempered and unfaithful, but whom she helped bring into the Christian faith. She repeated the influence on her son Augustine, who went on to become one of the greatest church teachers.

Sunday, May 07, 2017 Fourth Sunday of Easter

Monday, May 08, 2017 Julian of Norwich, renewer of the church, died around 1416 When she was about thirty years old, Julian (or Juliana) reported visions that she later compiled into a book, Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love, now a classic of medieval mysticism. The visions declared that love was the meaning of religious experience, provided by Christ who is love, for the purpose of love.

Monday, May 08, 2017 Victor the Moor, martyr, died 303 (TFF) Also known as Victor Maurus, this native of the northwest African nation of Mauritania was a soldier in the Roman Praetorian Guard. Under the persecution of Maximian, Victor died for his faith at Milan.

Tuesday, May 09, 2017 Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, renewer of the church, hymnwriter, died 1760 When he was 22, a group of Moravians asked permission to live on Zinzendorf’s land. He agreed, and eventually worldwide Moravian missions emanated from this community. Zinzendorf participated in these missions, and is also remembered for writing hymns characteristic of his Pietistic faith.

Sunday, May 14, 2017 Fifth Sunday of Easter

Sunday, May 14, 2017 Matthias, Apostle Matthias was the apostle added to the Twelve after Jesus’ resurrection, as a replacement for the dead Judas Iscariot. He had traveled among the followers of Jesus throughout the Lord’s ministry. Formerly commemorated on February 24, Matthias’s celebration is moved to May 14 in agreement with most Western calendars.

Thursday, May 18, 2017 Erik, King of Sweden, martyr, died 1160 Erik is considered the patron saint of Sweden. As king of that nation, he tried to bring peace in the region, and to spread Christianity in Scandinavia. He was also known for his attempts to make fair laws and to protect those who were poor or sick.

Sunday, May 21, 2017 Sixth Sunday of Easter

Sunday, May 21, 2017 Helena, mother of Constantine, died around 330 Influenced by her son to become Christian, Helena (or Helen) lived an exemplary life of faith. She is also remembered for traveling through Palestine building churches on the sites she believed to be associated with Christ’s life.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017 Nicolaus Copernicus, died 1543; Leonhard Euler, died 1783; scientists These two men were both scientists who helped to explain the wonders of God’s universe. Copernicus is best known for promoting the idea that the sun, not the earth, is at the center of our solar system. Euler was one of the founders of pure mathematics, and contributed to many other fields.

Thursday, May 25, 2017 Ascension of Our Lord

Saturday, May 27, 2017 John Calvin, renewer of the church, died 1564 Gifted both as a systematic theologian and as an interpreter of scriptures, Calvin embraced the Reformation, and as a preacher in Geneva, Switzerland, brought a theocratic government to it. He is regarded as the father of the Reformed churches.

Sunday, May 28, 2017 Seventh Sunday of Easter

Monday, May 29, 2017 Jiri Tranovsky, hymnwriter, died 1637 Tranovsky is considered to be the father of Slovak hymnody as well as an important reformer of the Slavic church. He translated the Augsburg Confession (the basis of Lutheran teachings) and published a collection of Slovak hymns.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Visit of Mary to Elizabeth This festival marks the occasion when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, visited her cousin Elizabeth who was herself pregnant with John. Elizabeth pronounced Mary “blessed among women,” and Mary responded with the song called the Magnificat.

Birthdays!  

We thank God for members and friends who celebrate birthdays in May. If we missed your birthday, please let Rene (in the office) know.

20 – Ralph A

23 – Zarana P

25 – Connie L

26 – Norma Z (deceased 2015)

28 – Betty N

31 – Bishop Wayne Miller