Prayer Cycle for the Week of May 5, 2026

Fifth Sunday of Easter

The Collect:

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
- BCP

Elisabeth Cruciger, Poet and Hymnographer, 1535

The below names, "LFF" are celebrations from "Lesser Feasts and Fasts", online 2025. Holy Days are in the Book of Common Prayer.  https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wpcontent/uploads/2025/03/lesser_feasts_and_fasts_-_2024__final_.pdf

Prayers and Gratitude for the Parish

David, Isabel, Gary, Judy, Matthew, Chris, Pam, Ray, Kay, Jane, Daphne, Kissa, Paul, Carolyn, Charlotte, Stephen, Tim, Harrison, Bill, Gregory, Marjie, Judy, Tim, Tasha, Rodney, Gloria, Helen, and Fran.  We give thanks for the remaining stands of White Oak that once dominated our Parish. 

 Prayers for Friends of St. Benedict

Nancy Jo, Adam, Tina, Amanda, Jess, Tim, Gary, Shane, Marianne, Ron, Kelly, Oran, and Judy.

Prayers for Military Deployed in Service to the Nation

Mark and Richard

Prayers for the Departed
__________________________________________

In the case of a pastoral care emergency please call the Rector directly
360-485-7281

Monday - May 4 - For Parish Members

Tim
Paula

Monica, Mother of Augustine of Hippo, 387

Tuesday - May 5 - For Parish Members

Bill
Thirza 

Martyrs of the Reformation Era

Wednesday - May 6 - For Parish Members

Mel

George of Lydda, Martyr

Thursday - May 7- For Parish Members

Daidre

Friday - May 8 - For Parish Members

Andrea
Gloria

Julian of Norwich, Mystic and Theologian, c.1417

           Saturday - May 9 - For Parish Members
 
Fran
Carla
Robert
Kate

Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishop and Theologian, 389

A Prayer for this Parish

O God, our heavenly Father, make the doors of our Church wide enough to receive all who need your care, compassion, and fellowship; and narrow enough to shut out all pride, selfishness, and prejudice in the name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit.  Amen

Sunday -May 3, 2026
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Do not let your hearts be troubled

Worship Services - 8 am and 10:30 am  

For the members of our parish family that
passed away  this year:

Mary Eberling
Kathleen Bruner
Kristie Louise Gouley

Give to the departed eternal rest;
Let light perpetual shine upon them.

Archbishop of Canterbury visits Pope Leo XIV

From the Archbishop of Canterbury Facebook page:

It was an honour to meet and pray with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV this morning. I’m deeply grateful for his gracious welcome at the Apostolic Palace.

In the years to come, I will remain united with the Pope in prayer – for peace in our world, for justice, and for every person to discover the fullness of life that God offers.

The ecumenical pilgrimage is always one we make together, as a fellowship of Christians seeking the unity for which Christ prayed. Your Holiness, as your sister in Christ, in a spirit of prayer, friendship, and hope, I commend our shared journey into the hands of God.

You can read my address to Pope Leo XIV on my website.

Welcome Our New Senior Warden

Please welcome Mr. Jeff Zahir who has agreed to serve as the Senior Warden for St. Benedict Episcopal Church in Lacey, WA. This term will run until the close of the Annual Meeting 2027.

Many of you know Jeff as St. Nicholas.  You may not be aware that Jeff has served in a number of leadership roles at St. Benedict and throughout the Diocese of Olympia.  Please join with me in welcoming Mr. Jeff Zahir and expressing our gratitude for his service as Senior Warden to the Rector.

The Book Club is reading the book: "How We Learn to Be Brave"

The Wednesday Morning Book Group is reading the book:  How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith by Mariann Edgar Budde.

We are discussing How We Learn to Be Brave at our 11:00 am Zoom meetings on Wednesdays.

If you’re new to the group and wish to join us, please send me an email, and I’ll send you a link to the meeting.  
Send the email to Anne Metzler at annieg426@gmail.com .

BINGO! May 16 @ 5:30 p.m.

Everyone Bingo Night and potato bar.
Saturday, May 16th, 5:30 pm.

2026 Butterfly Beginnings

During the Season of Resurrection, Jill and Alesya have begun the process of raising the butterflies to be ready for their release into nature on Mother's Day. 

Come by the Narthex and watch the growth happen during the next few weeks!  Butterflies symbolize to Christ's faithful people new birth and resurrection.

The conversion is special, and we are anxious to be a part of their growth within our care!  Join with the newest butterflies in our Parish and do the work of Resurrection.

Episcopal News Service

The Episcopal News Service (ENS) has been added to the St. Benedict Web Site for your convenience.  It is a successor to the bi-weekly paper, Episcopal News, that ran from 1835 to 1937. Episcopal News Service  offers in-depth reporting of local, regional, national and international news for Episcopalians and others interested in the church’s mission and ministry. Episcopal News Service is the official news source of the Episcopal Church.

The link will be posted each week for your easy access.  We hope that you find this new service helpful, click on the link below. 

Easter Season

Easter is the principal feast of the Church. The Prayer Book says “Easter Day” is one of the Principal Feasts and “All Sundays of the year are feasts of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  The readings during Easter explore themes like new life, recognition of the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd, abiding in Christ, and the gift of the Spirit.

In short, we have many Sundays of Easter because Easter is a season, not just a day. The Church lingers in the joy of the resurrection for six full Sundays, with the ten days that mark the silence following the Ascension of Our Lord and the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Letter from Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe on Military Strike on Iran

Dear people of God in The Episcopal Church,

Here in the United States, we awoke this morning with alarm to the news that the United States and Israel have launched a large military strike on Iran. This violent attack comes despite weeks of negotiations that many of us had hoped would prevent armed conflict in this fragile region, which is home to so many religious traditions and faithful people.  

Bishop Jeffrey Mello of Connecticut and a group of pilgrims from that diocese are in the Holy Land now, and when we spoke this morning, he let me know that they are safe at St. George’s College in Jerusalem. I ask you to pray fervently for them and their safe return. 

Pray, too, for all the people of the Holy Land, and especially for the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East and its leader, Archbishop Hosam Naoum. I had planned to be with Hosam today and tomorrow when he made a long-planned visit to our church. Many Episcopalians who had hoped to see him and assure him of our support will feel his absence keenly in the coming days. I commend to you the letter that he has sent to the people of his diocese this morning.

As news reports tell us of fear and panic in Iran, I ask you to pray especially for the people of the Diocese of Iran and for all of the Iranian people. In recent weeks, we have mourned as the regime in Iran has killed peaceful protesters, and watched with alarm at both its increasing repression of the Iranian people and the escalating response of the U.S. government. As Christians who follow a Prince of Peace, we mourn that today’s attacks will surely mean further hardship for the most vulnerable Iranians and, as retaliation inevitably follows, suffering that will spread across the entire region.

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

The Most Rev. Sean Rowe
Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church

Learn more about the Episcopal Church’s advocacy for peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land from the Office of Government Relations.

Letter from the Anglican Church of Canada

Archbishop Shane Parker

A message from the Bishop on Immigration

Dear Friends,

‍

Our chancellors Judy Andrews and Bryan Krislock have drawn up the attached memo to give you some guidance on Immigration and Sanctuary for our parishes, and parishioners, which I hope you will find helpful. Additionally, The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations has created a page of resources as well: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/immigration-action-toolkit/

Additionally, yesterday the Episcopal Church joined a religious freedoms lawsuit challenging ICE enforcement in churches. You can read more about that action here: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/publicaffairs/episcopal-church-joins-religious-freedom-lawsuit-challenging-ice-enforcement-actions-in-churches/.

As I said last week, I know this is a difficult and confusing time for all of us, and our call as disciples of Jesus is to care for those who are often on the margins of our society. Know that my prayers are with you as you continue to care for those in your communities who are being impacted by the many different orders meant to bring fear and chaos into our nation. We are reminded again and again in scripture to not be afraid, God is with us. May we hold onto that reality in these hard times.

(See Church bulletin board for Memo)

Blessings,

Phil (Bishop of the Diocese of Olympia in Western Washington)

Wednesday Healing Service

The Episcopal Church has an established tradition of providing healing services. The St. Benedict Healing service is a public gathering where folks come together to pray for healing and wholeness for themselves and others, with the laying on of hands and anointing with oil. The Service emphasizes prayer, spiritual support, and a sense of community in seeking God's healing presence.

Our community is blessed with the Great Cloud of Witnesses and so we call on the Saints of our faith to inspire us to wholeness.

We gather each Wednesday at the side chapel at 12:15. I hope you will join us.