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| The bare ground yielded to more snow added this week. |
JOIN US FOR WORSHIP
This Sunday, The Third Sunday in Lent, there will
be two services at 8 and 10am.
There is a service of Morning Prayer on Wednesday
mornings at 9 a.m.
READINGS FOR SUNDAY
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 95
Romans 5:1-11
John 4:5-42
FROM THE INTERIM RECTOR
Each week at Morning Prayer we use the
readings for the saint appointed for the day. Whoever is leading Morning Prayer
also reads about the saint and, during the time for the homily, draws from both
the information gleaned about the saint and the readings appointed to lead a
discussion - sort of a "group homily". We always have great
discussions along with learning
something about the saint.
Last week the saint was Geoffrey Anketell
Studdert Kennedy. He was an Anglican priest and poet who served as chaplain to
the British Army during World War I. He believed that worship and the
sacraments lost their meaning without social action, without actively living
out the Gospel in the world. One of his poems seemed especially timely to me
today in light of the refugee crisis. It is called "Indifference",
and appears below in Food for Thought.
In his poem,
Kennedy compares the behavior of Christ’s contemporaries with our behavior
today towards the stranger and the outcast, and challenges us in Lent to
consider whether we are following Christ to Golgotha.
Indifference, by GA Studdert Kennedy
When Jesus came to Golgotha, they hanged Him on a tree,
They drove great nails through hands and feet, and made a Calvary;
They crowned Him with a crown of thorns, red were His wounds and deep,
For those were crude and cruel days, and human flesh was cheap.
When Jesus came to Birmingham, they simply passed Him by.
They would not hurt a hair of Him, they only let Him die;
For men had grown more tender, and they would not give Him pain,
They only just passed down the street, and left Him in the rain.
Still Jesus cried, ‘Forgive them, for they know not what they do,’
And still it rained the winter rain that drenched Him through and through;
The crowds went home and left the streets without a soul to see,
And Jesus crouched against a wall, and cried for Calvary.
When Jesus came to Golgotha, they hanged Him on a tree,
They drove great nails through hands and feet, and made a Calvary;
They crowned Him with a crown of thorns, red were His wounds and deep,
For those were crude and cruel days, and human flesh was cheap.
When Jesus came to Birmingham, they simply passed Him by.
They would not hurt a hair of Him, they only let Him die;
For men had grown more tender, and they would not give Him pain,
They only just passed down the street, and left Him in the rain.
Still Jesus cried, ‘Forgive them, for they know not what they do,’
And still it rained the winter rain that drenched Him through and through;
The crowds went home and left the streets without a soul to see,
And Jesus crouched against a wall, and cried for Calvary.
SEARCH COMMITTEE
STEPS: Information from the Parish Self-Study
Survey helps create the Parish PROFILE which is sent out to interested
applicants.
As we look at
the Parish Self-Study Survey from twelve years ago, we are fascinated to see how
many questions and areas of concern are the same and how many no longer address
who we are as a parish. Our discussions are lively and, as we continue to work
together, deepen our understanding of each other and what you, the parish, have
entrusted us to do.
As part of our
planning for the Parish Self-Study we will be offering one or two after-church
times for input from YOU. Stay tuned for dates and times.
Loving God, giver of all good gifts, grant to the
Search Committee and to the parish wisdom and faith as we develop and create
the Parish Profile. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
RESOURCES FOR LENT
The Lenton
Study 5 Marks of Love; Living Life
Marked as Christ’s Own, continues on Wednesday March 22nd at 6pm with a
simple supper. Join us!
**************
There are a
few copies of Lenten Meditations 2017
from Episcopal Relief and Development. You can pick them up from the Parish
Hall Table.
***************
Are you
following Lent Madness? Having trouble keeping up with who’s winning?
Click on http://www.lentmadness.org/bracket
to be taken instantly to the Lent Madness Bracket, where you can see at a
glance who moving forward in the ‘saintly smackdown’. Only four more
matchups in the first round! Then we move to the round of the “Saintly
16”!
SAFE CHURCH
If you are a
new vestry member or are in need of refresher training, please contact Marty
Cloran with your interest to attend one of these training dates. He will advise you if you need to also complete
the online modules prior to the in person training. For more information of the
training sites listed below, click here.
You must sign
up 5 days in advance of the live training date.
April
29- Trinity Church, Claremont
Sept
30- St. Thomas Church, Hanover
COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER
The Food Pantry thanks you for your contributions
throughout the year.
The
monthly item for MARCH is Jello.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
FROM THE OFFICE
The office will be closed this Friday, March 17th. The Directory is available in PDF format. If anyone would like a copy please contact Deb via email: office@standrewsinthevalley.org.
Blessings,
See you
in Church!
Photography by:
LINKS FOR MOBILE VIEWERS:
