This Saturday is Michaelmas
by Jerry Pardue

St. Stephen's Anglican Church in Athens, Texas celebrates the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels beginning at 5:30 pm on Saturday, September 29, with Evensong and Solemn High Mass, followed by the traditional feast of goose with all the trimmings including St. Michael's Bannock (a scone-like bread) and blackberry cobbler.

This year the church is honored by Father Dr. John Heidt, SSC, Canon Theologian to the Bishop of Fort Worth, who will be Celebrant and Preacher at the Mass. Cannon Heidt has been a priest in the Episcopal Church for fifty years, and has degrees from Yale, Nashotah House Seminary, and Oxford, England. Most of his service has been in parish ministry both in the United States and England. He has also been Theology Department Head, Dallas School of Theology, a University Chaplain, and a member of the Faculty of Marquette University. He has authored two Christian apologetics books and several articles in various periodicals. Father Heidt is married with five children; the oldest son is a priest in the Anglican Church of Canada.

Ancient legend holds that those eating goose on Michaelmas will avoid financial distress the coming year. Interestingly, the day is a financial holiday in the British Isles and is the day on which quarterly rents and other accounts are settled.

Also, St. Michael's Bannock is eaten to obtain other good fortune throughout the year. Blackberry consumption is even more traditional as legend has it that the evil Lucifer, driven out of Heaven by Michael's army of angels, landed in bramble bushes. He became so angry that each year he goes about spitting on blackberries and thus we need to harvest and eat them on or before this day to avoid the devil's curse.

Although St. Stephen's cannot guarantee all will have an abundance of good luck having feasted with them, it can and does invite all to join with them for this festive occasion. There is NO Charge but it is asked that guests coming call 903-675- 1639 a few days before so sufficient preparations for the dinner can be made. A free will offering will be received.

St. Stephen's Anglican Church is located at 2101 East College St. in Athens just west of the Jacksonville exit on Loop 7. Take 175 East from downtown Athens or west from the Loop and turn onto College St. at the top of the hill. The church is 1/4 mile on the right.

To view some of Father Canon John Heidt's exceptional writings see:fatherjohnheidt.blogspot.com/

Why Man London: Church Literature Association, 1977.

A Faith for Skeptics, Eugene, Oregon: ACW Press, 2003