Commemoration: Elizabeth Catherine Ferard
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Elizabeth Catherine Ferard
22 February 1825 – 18 April 1883
Elizabeth Catherine Ferard was the first deaconess in the Church of England, founder of the Community of St. Andrew, and is credited with revitalizing the order of Deaconess in the Anglican Communion.
In 1858, Elizabeth went to Germany from her home in London, staying at Kaiserswerth, a Lutheran deaconess institution where she worked in the orphan house, observing and learning nursing skills. She was inspired by the work being done in other parts of Europe, and in 1861, she offered to begin the deaconess training in England. She and two other women began the Community of St. Andrew, which observed a common rule and was dedicated to worship and to works of mercy. On St Andrew’s Day 1861 the institution officially began as the North London Deaconess House. On 18 July 1862 Bishop Tait of London admitted Elizabeth as the first deaconess in the Church of England. The sisters worked in the local parish and slum areas, were in charge of nursing at the Great Northern Hospital, and taught in the local Infants and Girls’ schools. St Andrew’s began to train independent diocesan Deaconesses as well as ones for its own Community.
If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has
passed away; see, everything has become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17
O God, let our mouth proclaim your praise.
And your glory all the day long.
Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo: *
como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.
¡Aleluya!
Venite Salmo 95:1-7
Vengan, cantemos alegremente al Señor; *
aclamemos con júbilo a la Roca que nos salva.
Lleguemos ante su presencia con alabanza, *
vitoreándole con cánticos;
Porque el Señor es Dios grande, *
y Rey grande sobre todos los dioses.
En su mano están las profundidades de la tierra, *
y las alturas de los montes son suyas.
Suyo el mar, pues él lo hizo, *
y sus manos formaron la tierra seca.
Vengan, adoremos y postrémonos; *
arrodillémosnos delante del Señor nuestro Hacedor;
Porque él es nuestro Dios;
nosotros el pueblo de su dehesa, y ovejas de su mano. *
¡Ojalá escuchen hoy su voz!
Psalm 37: Part I
Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; *
do not be jealous of those who do wrong.
For they shall soon wither like the grass, *
and like the green grass fade away.
Put your trust in the LORD and do good; *
dwell in the land and feed on its riches.
Take delight in the LORD, *
and he shall give you your heart’s desire.
Commit your way to the LORD and put your trust in him, *
and he will bring it to pass.
He will make your righteousness as clear as the light *
and your just dealing as the noonday.
Be still before the LORD *
and wait patiently for him.
Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, *
the one who succeeds in evil schemes.
Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *
do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.
For evildoers shall be cut off, *
but those who wait upon the LORD shall possess the land.
In a little while the wicked shall be no more; *
you shall search out their place, but they will not be there.
But the lowly shall possess the land; *
they will delight in abundance of peace.
The wicked plot against the righteous *
and gnash at them with their teeth.
The Lord laughs at the wicked, *
because he sees that their day will come.
The wicked draw their sword and bend their bow to strike down the poor and needy, *
to slaughter those who are upright in their ways.
Their sword shall go through their own heart, *
and their bow shall be broken.
The little that the righteous has *
is better than great riches of the wicked.
For the power of the wicked shall be broken, *
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo: *
como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.
Exodus 20:1-21
Then God spoke all these words: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbors wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.” Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
Canticle J A Song of Judith
I will sing a new song to my God, *
for you are great and glorious, wonderful in strength, invincible.
Let the whole creation serve you, *
for you spoke and all things came into being.
You sent your breath and it formed them, *
no one is able to resist your voice.
Mountains and seas are stirred to their depths, *
rocks melt like wax at your presence.
But to those who fear you, *
you continue to show mercy.
No sacrifice, however fragrant, can please you, *
but whoever fears the Lord shall stand in your sight for ever.
Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo: *
como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.
Colossians 1:24-2:7
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil and struggle with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me.
For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face. I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your morale and the firmness of your faith in Christ. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Canticle N
A Song of God’s Love
1 John 4:7-11
Beloved, let us love one another, *
for love is of God.
Whoever does not love does not know God, *
for God is Love.
In this the love of God was revealed among us, *
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through Jesus Christ.
In this is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us *
and sent his Son that sins might be forgiven.
Beloved, since God loved us so much, *
we ought also to love one another.
For if we love one another, God abides in us, *
and God’s love will be perfected in us.
Gloria al Padre, y al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo: *
como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.
Credo de los Apóstoles
Creo en Dios Padre todopoderoso,
creador del cielo y de la tierra.
Creo en Jesucristo, su único Hijo, nuestro Señor.
Fue concebido por obra y gracia del Espíritu Santo
y nació de la Virgen María.
Padeció bajo el poder de Poncio Pilato.
Fue crucificado, muerto y sepultado.
Descendió a los infiernos.
Al tercer día resucitó de entre los muertos.
Subió a los cielos,
y está sentado a la diestra de Dios Padre.
Desde allí ha de venir a juzgar a vivos y muertos.
Creo en el Espíritu Santo,
la santa Iglesia católica,
la comunión de los santos,
el perdón de los pecados,
la resurrección de los muertos,
y la vida eterna. Amén.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo,
santificado sea tu Nombre,
venga tu reino,
hágase tu voluntad,
en la tierra como en el cielo.
Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día.
Perdona nuestras ofensas,
como también nosotros perdonamos
a los que nos ofenden.
No nos dejes caer en tentación
y líbranos del mal.
Porque tuyo es el reino,
tuyo es el poder,
y tuya es la gloria,
ahora y por siempre. Amén.
Sufragios B
V. Señor, salva a tu pueblo, y bendice a tu heredad;
R. Sostennos y guíanos ahora y siempre.
V. Día a día te bendecimos;
R. Y alabamos tu nombre eternamente.
V. De todo pecado guárdanos hoy;
R. Ten piedad de nosotros.
V. Muéstranos tu amor y tu misericordia;
R. Porque en ti ponemos la confianza.
V. En ti, Señor, está nuestra esperanza;
R. No dejes que esperemos en vano
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may, like Elizabeth Catherine Ferard, show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray for the needs of the church and the world
to God who raised Jesus to new life.
We offer the prayers and thanksgivings of our hearts to you
Creator of the universe,
you made the world in beauty,
and restore all things in glory
through the victory of Jesus Christ.
We pray that, wherever your image is still disfigured
by poverty, sickness, selfishness, war and greed,
the new creation in Jesus Christ may appear in justice, love, and peace,
to the glory of your name. Amen.
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom:
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
Daily Morning Prayer for Thursday, April 18 (Commemoration of Elizabeth Catherine Ferard) was prepared by the Rev. Hope Laingen, Deacon in the Diocese of Western North Carolina and St. Phoebe School alum.
Virtual Chapel of St. Phoebe 