I love the way Bishop Alex Dickson defines a sacrament. He writes in his Anglican Essentials course that living the Sacramental life is simply a way to live physically with Jesus. Another has defined it this way, “We cannot begin to talk about the sacraments unless we first understand that there are two forms of life. There is the natural life of our body which is animated by our soul. This life begins at the moment that we were conceived in our mother’s womb. But there is another, and higher, life which we call supernatural. This is the life that our souls must possess when our body dies. Unless our souls are supernaturally alive with the grace of God, our faith tells us we shall die the first death of the body; but also the second death of the soul. Another name for the second death is eternal death. This means eternal separation from God.” Living the sacramental life is a way of giving life to the supernatural soul. The Sacraments help us come alive physically with Jesus. Over the last week, it has been sacramentally intense. In two weeks, two very large and wonderful weddings, sacramentally celebrating the power of Jesus Christ to make two people one. Yesterday four baptisms sacramentally celebrating our Lord Jesus adopting these children making them members of the body of Christ and giving them the power of the Holy Spirit. This of course is done in the context of the Eucharist, receiving the power of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

On Sunday, December 5th, the sacrament of Confirmation. Confirmation is that sacrament where a mature and exclusive commitment is made to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The confirmand receives strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by the Bishop. In this case, Bishop Dickson will welcome many of our Alpha graduates and other seekers. But in the span of a little over a month we will also celebrate the sacrament of Ordination!

Ordination is that sacrament in which “God gives authority and the grace of the Holy Spirit to those being made bishops/ priests and deacons through prayer and the laying on of hands by bishops (Prayer book page 860).”  On December 6th, we will celebrate the Ordination to the Priesthood of Rob Kunes now serving at Galilee Church in Virginia Beach. This ordination on December 6th will be at 6:30 at the Church of the Holy Communion on Ashley Avenue. Now some of you might be saying didn’t we already ordain Rob here at St. Michael’s? The answer is yes, but he was ordained a deacon at the time. That ordination is normally followed up 6 months later with an ordination to the Priesthood. One month later, we will ordain Tyler Prescott to the diaconate here at St. Michael’s on Monday, January 3rd. Upon ordination, Tyler will serve at St. Paul’s Church, Summerville.

The Sacraments are a way of doing life together! Just for the record the other two sacraments of the church are Unction (healing prayer) as well as confession. Of course we model these two sacraments each and every Sunday. So, the Sacramental life where in each something is required of us, and in so doing, we see and hear Christ in ways that brings life and transforms the soul!

Baptism

Confirmation

Holy Eucharist

Anointing of the Sick

Reconciliation

Marriage

Ordination