City of Light Anglican Church—Aurora, Illinois

9/28 Daily Rhythm of Prayer & Scripture SCRIPTURE: Philippians 4:4-9 “And the God of peace will be with you.” DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Have you thought that because you are a follower of Jesus, your life would be easier, more blessed, or have less suffering or worry? Where does that belief come from? How does Jesus address that in John 16:33? What anxieties did Paul face in his ministry? Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-30. What does Paul say is the pressure he feels above all? Paul says at the end of v. 5 that, “The Lord is near.” Do you think he is quoting Psalm 145.18? How does Paul's reminder of the nearness of the Lord relate to his encouragement to rejoice and give thanks (v. 4) and to not be anxious (v. 6)? Think of the worries and concerns that you are facing. Which ones are of people you see in person in your life? Which ones come primarily through technology, screens, and social media? How does technology impact your anxiety levels? Think of a time you have experienced God's peace with you. What did it feel like? Paul says it is peace that transcends understanding. In John 14:27 Jesus says his peace is not as the world gives. How have you experienced God's peace in that way? What does Paul mean when he says that the peace of God will “guard your hearts and your minds”? We use that phrase from Scripture each week when the priest prays the blessing at the end of the service. How do you participate in that blessing? What does it mean to you? How might the rhythm of the Daily Office & Lectionary help you get out of anxious rhythms and into the rhythms of Jesus and his peace? Bible scholar Gordon Fee says, “Even though the experience of God's peace happens first of all at the individual level…for Paul peace is primarily a community matter.” What would it look like to be a household or church full of peace in the midst of our anxious world? PRAYER PRACTICE: Pick a time this week to try the daily office and lectionary on your own or with a friend. Ask Jesus for his peace as you pray. Turn Philippians 4:4-6 into a prayer: Lord, I am anxious. Help me not be anxious about anything, but in this situation_________, help me pray and ask for what I need from you: here are my requests____________. God, thank you for these good things I can see in my life _________. Fill me with your peace, God, which transcends all my understanding, and guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. Amen.

09.21.25 In Rhythm with Jesus - Father Trevor McMaken by

Some Updates to Our Sunday Liturgy Dear City of Light, I want to let you know about some small updates to our Sunday morning liturgy. I was delighted that earlier this year the Anglican Church in North America completed its Spanish translation of the 2019 Book of Common Prayer. We now have copies in English and Spanish available at our Welcome Table or online here. We had been using Spanish translations found in other places or translated ourselves. Now we can update our bulletin and prayers to align with Spanish speakers throughout the province. There will be a few differences, such as: We will now say “El Señor esté con ustedes” instead of “El Señor sea con ustedes.” We will now say “Cristo vendrá de nuevo” instead of “Cristo volverá.” While we update the Spanish, we're also going to update a few differences in English between our Sunday bulletin and the 2019 prayer book. When something changes in the liturgy, it may feel strange or awkward, we may not prefer it at first, and we will make mistakes and say the old words out of habit. This can remind us of several things: that it's not first about what we like or prefer, but about our entire church praying together that worship is not about getting all the words right, it's about offering our lives to Jesus that we and our kids have internalized these liturgies more than we realized and that's good And that the point is that our liturgies draw us to Jesus who is the living word behind all of our words and who is teaching us how to talk with him. The several main changes will be: And with your spirit Both of the responses “And also with you” and “And with your spirit” have long traditions. The ACNA returned to the “And with your spirit” as the primary one for its emphasis on reminding us that we are both physical and spiritual beings, and when we come together in worship we are engaging all of who we are, body and spirit. This is what we have been saying when we do the response in Spanish, “y con tu espíritu.” Making this change will also bring us more in “common” with the rest of the Diocese and Province. We lift them up to the Lord. At the beginning of communion when the celebrant says, “Lift up your hearts” the older liturgy had us saying, “we lift them to the Lord” but the newer liturgy says, “we lift them up to the Lord.” The Lord's Prayer (Mt 6:9-13 and Lk 11:2-4) The BCP2019 has two options for the Lord's Prayer. If you have been praying the daily offices from the prayerbook then you are familiar with these versions. We had been praying a translation that is a hybrid of the two. The biggest difference for us in the new version is that it translates “lead us not into temptation” as “save us from the time of trial.” I share more about this change and what we mean when we pray it in the podcast, so take a listen here. I'm eager to begin praying these prayers with you! Peace, Father Trevor

The Lost Treasure of Heaven - Father Trevor McMaken by

The Cost of Discipleship - Deacon Casey Solgos by

The Honor and Shame Game - Father Trevor McMaken by

The Narrow Door - Father Trevor McMaken by

The Jesus We Don't Want But Need - Deacon Meghan Robins by

The World's Best Kiss - Father Matt Woodley by

The Parable of the Rich Fool - Father Nate Beasley by

Pray Like a Priest - Father Will Chester by

Martha, Mary, and the One Thing Needed - Deacon John Clark by

Gospel Clarity in a Complicated World - Mark Meyers by

Giving Voice to our Praise for All He has Done - Deacon Margie Fawcett by

Ordinary Discipleship in Extraordinary Times - Deacon Susan Raedeke by

Fight the Right Battle the Right Way - Bishop Stewart E. Ruch III by

The Fellowship of the Spirit - Katherine Ruch by

The people of the Holy Spirit - Rachel Hoskins by

The Power of the Spirit for Mission - Deacon Casey Solgos by

The Fruit of the Spirit - Chris Easley by

The Healing of the Spirit - Deacon Meghan Robins by

Engage - Bishop Stewart Ruch III by

A Confirmation Charge from 1 Peter 4:10-11

More of the Spirit — Pastor Casey Solgos by

The Spirit Who Raised Jesus: The Spirit of Resurrection — Pastor Trevor McMaken by

Sorrow for Joy (Easter Sunday) — Pastor Trevor McMaken by

The Weight of Sin, the Glory of the Sin Bearer, and the Power of Forgiveness (Good Friday) — Pastor Matt Woodley by

Cleansed by Jesus (Maundy Thursday) — Pastor Casey Solgos by

Luke 19:28-44

Isaiah 43:16-21

Isaiah 58

Joshua 4:19 - 5:12

I Will Deliver You — Pastor Susan Raedeke by

Genesis 15:1-18

The Promises of God: I Will Bless You — Pastor Trevor McMaken by

Sin Is a Disaster! (Ash Wednesday) — Pastor Trevor McMaken by

Something Good for the Faithful (Luke 9:28-36) – Pastor Meghan Robins by

The Seventh Sunday after Epiphany.

The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany.

The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany.

The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany.

The Third Sunday after Epiphany.

The Third Sunday after Epiphany.

The Feast of the Baptism of Jesus.

The Feast of Epiphany.

The Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. Children's Message.

Christmas Eve.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent. Lessons & Carols 2024.

The Season of Advent.

The Season of Advent.