February 11, 2021

 



FROM THE RECTOR



Lent Is Just Around the Corner!

Ash Wednesday is next Wednesday, February 17th. Our Ash Wednesday Zoom service will be at 5:30 pm.

Ashes will be available at the church for pick up. If you would like to pick up ashes for the service please come by the church Saturday – Wednesday to pick up an envelope of ashes. These are ashes from burning palms from previous years. You may also use ashes from your own fireplace or wood stove. Envelopes of ashes may be found in the mailbox outside the rear entrance (with the ramp) to our building.

If you prefer a service at noon, you are invited to join Bishop Rob for a virtual Ash Wednesday worship service on February 17th at noon. Ashes are not required, but attendees are welcome to impose ashes from any source on themselves or household members. A Zoom link for the service will be posted on the diocesan Worship & Liturgy page

Lenten Book Study Group

Our Lenten Book Group will read Jesus: A Pilgrimage by James Martin, SJ.

We’ll meet on Wednesdays at 12:30 pm. Our first meeting will be on Ash Wednesday, February 17. If you plan to attend please let me so I can be in touch before our first meeting. Order your book now!

From Amazon: “James Martin, SJ brings the Gospels to life and invites believers and seekers alike to experience Jesus through Scripture, prayer, and travel.

Father Martin ushers you into Jesus’ life and times and shows us how Jesus speaks to us today through combining fascinating insights of historical Jesus studies with profound spiritual insights about the Christ of faith, recreating the world of first-century Galilee and Judea.

Martin also brings together the most up-to-date Scripture scholarship, wise spiritual reflections, and lighthearted stories about traveling through the Holy Land with a fellow (and funny) Jesuit, visiting important sites in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

Stories about Jesus’ astonishing life and ministry—clever parables that upended everyone’s expectations, incredible healings that convinced even skeptics, nature miracles that dazzled the dumbstruck disciples—can seem far removed from our own daily lives but in Jesus you will come to know him as Father Martin knows him: Messiah and Savior, as well as friend and brother.”

Blessings,
Caroline

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
JOIN US FOR WORSHIP
The 1st Sunday of the month at 9:00 AM
The remaining Sundays at 10:00 AM

This Sunday-February 14th
at 10:00 a.m.
The Last Sunday after The Epiphany

followed by the Annual Meeting
via Zoom (email RectorSAITV@gmail.com for Zoom information)
or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/standrewsinthevalleytamworth/

AND...
JOIN US FOLLOWING THE SERVICE FOR
A VIRTUAL


on ZOOM


READINGS FOR SUNDAY
The Last Sunday after Epiphany

Collect of the Day

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson 2 Kings 2:1-12

From the Hebrew Bible we hear the story of the taking up of the prophet Elijah into heaven and the passing on of his power to Elisha. The narrative illustrates the great favor Elijah found in the eyes of the Lord as he is carried away in a chariot of fire. Elisha is first in despair and rends his clothing in mourning, yet realizes he himself has been chosen to offer continued prophetic vision to the people.

Psalm 50:1-6

The psalm tells of the majestic and righteous God who requires true sacrifice and thanksgiving of the people.

The Second Lesson 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

In this lesson Paul proclaims that Christ is the very image of God, though not all can perceive this truth. This proclamation focuses on Jesus Christ as Lord, and Paul is captive to this message. As light shone forth from darkness in creation, so God has shone forth in the hearts of those to whom the light of the knowledge of God in Christ has been given.

The Gospel Mark 9:2-9

Our gospel is the story of Jesus’ transfiguration. The narrative draws upon themes and symbols from Israel’s past and its hopes for the future. Moses and Elijah represent the law and the prophets, whose promises Jesus fulfills. The chosen disciples see divine glory reflected in Jesus’ human person. A voice from the cloud declares that he is God’s beloved Son.


Click below to see the readings: 

PRAYERS FOR EACH OTHER
One thing we can always do while we stay at home is to pray for each other! We would like to keep our prayer list up to date and publish it each week in the Thursday Memo. Please email Deb at office@standrewsinthevalley.org with any updates.



This Week We Pray for

Health and Wholeness for:  Frank, Amy, Judy Grace, Jeannette Mead, Margaret, Mary Ireland, Jean DeThomas, Terri Hooper,  Martin, John McGowan, Sue Huckman, Steve Thompson, Joan Marshall, Marilyn Cloran, Kitty Lou Booty, Gabriele and Bob Wallace, Dave Appleton, Carolyn Boldt, Angela B., Tom, Carolyn Jarvis, Doug Crapser, Peg Patenaude, Joyce Humphrey, 

For those who are homebound: Joyce Gendron, Marge Hagerup, Elizabeth Pease, Brian & Sara Kelley, Elizabeth Wiesner,  Audrey Berry.

For those who have died: 

For our First Nation people and those in this country who are living in impoverished areas of the Ninth Ward of New Orleans and the inner city areas populated by some of our poorest citizens.

For all those who are on the front lines serving communities during these difficult times.

Updating the Prayer List

Please let Deb know if you want to put someone back on the prayer list going forward. Thank you for helping us keep our prayer list up to date.

THINK SPRING, PLANT A SEED

EFM, or Education for Ministry, currently has a combined New Hampshire/New York group that meets online weekly. This group was started by Rev. Bill Cruse, and was initially a New Hampshire group, but due to graduation, the group became too small for sharing and discussion, thus combining with the New York group this year.  It has been a wonderful process, learning and sharing with new friends from an area totally different from rural NH. We would love to keep this group viable looking forward to next Fall. 

If you like meeting new people, sharing your story and your faith with others, lively discussion about scripture and other authors, praying together, all from the comfort of your living room, EFM may be for you! If you need more information, Jen, Carol, Sammie, or Pat would be happy to answer any questions.

 On another note, if you enjoy Compline, and miss it on Friday evening, please join Carolyn Black, one of our New York friends, who does Compline every Friday evening at 7:00PM.  Here is linkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktLGR7kHffE 

SAFE CHURCH TRAINING

Safe Church Zoom Trainings 2021

Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 6:00 pm - Click HERE to register

Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 6:00 pm - Click HERE to register

 Reminder: The list of required online modules has been updated. For details or to register for the February 17th call, please visit the diocesan Safe Church page. 

DINNER BELL


No DINNER BELL until further notice.

Thank you for your volunteer
work in this special Outreach program!


COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER

The Food Pantry thanks you for your contributions throughout the year.

Food pantry continues to serve the communities needs
New Hours
Alternating Wednesdays
12-4 pm
Next Food Pantry: February 17
Any questions call 603-960-4067


      
FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Blessing the Dust
A Poem for Ash Wednesday

All those days
you felt like dust,
like dirt,
as if all you had to do
was turn your face
toward the wind
and be scattered
to the four corners

or swept away
by the smallest breath
as insubstantial—

did you not know
what the Holy One
can do with dust?

This is the day
we freely say
we are scorched.

This is the hour
we are marked
by what has made it
through the burning.

This is the moment
we ask for the blessing
that lives within
the ancient ashes,
that makes its home
inside the soil of
this sacred earth.

So let us be marked
not for sorrow.
And let us be marked
not for shame.
Let us be marked
not for false humility
or for thinking
we are less
than we are

but for claiming
what God can do
within the dust,
within the dirt,
within the stuff
of which the world
is made
and the stars that blaze
in our bones
and the galaxies that spiral
inside the smudge
we bear.

—Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons

 

February  BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
If you do not see your birthday or anniversary listed, please make sure Deb in the office has an information sheet on file for you.

Birthdays
2        Joan Marshall
3        Carolyn Boldt
13      Bill May
14      Linnea Frank
17      Nathalie Smith
20      Tom Huckman
21      Judy Grace
26      Melissa Bunker

Anniversaries
14      Ken & Debra Hoyt
20      Bill & Valerie May

FROM THE OFFICE
RESOURCE MATERIALS  CAN BE FOUND 
ON THE SHELF OUTSIDE THE OFFICE DOOR

CLICK FOR



PHOTO GALLERY