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Reading the Bible in a year!
Resources
Block Print by Mike Newman
Continuing Projects
1. Writing to Alex Long in Afghanistan
Alex Long would appreciate mail from you. You can write Alex a letter at this address:
Sgt Long, Alexander
1st MSOB A CO
UNIT 42550
FPO AP 96427-2550
Don’t see your pet ? Upload a picture
3. Prayer requests – Add a name to the prayer list here.
4. Box Tops for Education for local schools
This is a project of the children of the church.Take one of the colorful collection cans from back of church and fill them up with box tops from participating products. By the end of February, bring them back to the church and give them to Tierra.
Here is a list of participating products.
Box Tops for Education has helped America’s schools earn over $475 million since 1996. You can earn cash for your child’s school by clipping Box Tops coupons from hundreds of participating products. Box Tops also offers easy ways to earn even more cash for your school online.
Here is a video introduction
5. Lenten Links
We have a dedicated Lenten part of the website – Lent at St. Peter’s 2013 which has the events listed. Highlights include:
- Introduction to Lent
- Our own Lenten Calendar
- Lenten Quiet Day , ECW at Roslyn March 21
- Holy Week, March 25-30
We have new articles this week
1. In his invitation to a holy Lent, “The Grace of Lent,” Bishop Johnston outlines 12 take-away messages from the sermons of St. Leo the great as a different way to experience the Lenten season.
2 Forty Days of Lent: An Almost Amish Journey Toward a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life
Fourth Week in Lent , March 10, 2013 (full size gallery)
Christ centered, Biblically based, spirit filled and a place of simple hospitality, we have shared our communal life with our church,our community, and those in need. Your presence enriches us.
March 17 -9:45am – "Forgiveness" in Adult Education
March 17 -11:00am- Holy Eucharist, Rite I
Ladies Night Out #11 Recap – March 9, 2013 – Murder!
It’s pretty clear, isn’t it ? How could a church fundraiser where the men cook for the ladies lead to this gruesome murder ? Everything seemingly had gond well. Everyone dined on a feast of venison, meatloaf, fish, macraoni, salad and varous deserts. But there was tension in the air from the time of the appetizer where the citizens of Pandora City confronted each over concerning imaginery and real wrongs.
Apparently, for the murderer she felt her sister had been wronged by this lady (Tracy Howe) who owned a skating rink. She eventually confessed but it took an evening. There was some sympathy for the murderer – no one liked Tracy and felt like she hid the poor condition of her rink which had let to an accident. Let’s look at the cast.
Also some pictures would be helpful to sort through this situation which were taken by Dylan McBreezen, that shy photographer.
Feasting with Jesus – this Thurs, March 14, 6pm – The Todah Feast
The Todah was worship where “word and meal and praise and sacrifice constitute a unity.” The Todah was a celebration of thanksgiving for a great event.
It began at the temple. The person brought the animal and the four types of bread to the priest. The animal was sacrificed with the blood and the fat portions given to God and burned on the altar. Some of the unleavened breads were also offered by burning on the altar. As with other sacrifices, the priest kept the portion of the animal, By the first century, the priest also kept one of the loaves of the leavened bread.
The meat and bread from the sacrifice and the rest of the food we made ready for the feast after the temple ceremony. There might have be banquet rooms available at the temple, but most likely the host rented space from someone living in Jerusalem or was staying in a tent outside the city gates. Tradition allowed the meat to be prepared in any number methods: boiled or cooked in a stew were two common ways, but for Jews most popular way to eat meat was roasted.
As with other feasts, bread, wine, and the meat played an important role. The bread served at the feast was the leavened bread of the sacrifice. The daily bread that represented not only basic human nourishment but also the life of the one who had been saved. The meat was also that which was offered in sacrifice. The animal at sacrifice represented life, life given to all creatures, but especially the life of the one making the sacrifice.
The Todah sacrifice and feast also represented the new life of the host, his or her life after the recovery from the near death experience. As an essential element of the Todah meal, the host recited how God acted to deliver him or her from death. This was a song of salvation built upon the new foundation of the person’s existence. It described the time when they faced death and then gave thanks for his or her salvation. This is another example of the difference of the Todah. In other religiol feasts, the primary emphasis was on the community.
Celebrating St. Patrick, Sunday, March 17th
St. Patrick, apostle of Ireland, was born in England, circa 386. Surprisingly, he was not raised with a strong emphasis on religion.
When St. Patrick was 16 years old, he was captured by Irish pirates and brought to Ireland where he was sold into slavery. His job was to tend sheep. He came to view his enslavement of six years as God’s test of his faith, during which he became deeply devoted to Christianity through constant prayer. In a vision, he saw the children of Pagan Ireland reaching out their hands to him, which only increased his determination to free the Irish from Druidism by converting them to Christianity.
The idea of escaping enslavement came to St. Patrick in a dream, where a voice promised him he would find his way home to England. Eager to see the dream materialize, St. Patrick convinced some sailors to let him board their ship. After three days of sailing, he and the crew abandoned the ship in France and wandered, lost, for 28 days—covering 200 miles of territory in the process. At last, St. Patrick was reunited with his family in England.
Now a free man, he went to France where he studied and entered the priesthood. He never lost sight of his vision: he was determined to convert Ireland to Christianity. In 431, St. Patrick was Consecrated Bishop of the Irish, and went to Ireland to spread "The Good News" to the Pagans there. Patrick made his headquarters at Armagh in the North, where he built a school, and had the protection of the local monarch. From this base he made extensive missionary journeys, with considerable success. To say that he single-handedly turned Ireland from a pagan to a Christian country is an exaggeration, but is not far from the truth… Read more
Rebuilding toilets in Haiti, continuing Sunday, March 17
Region One is spear heading a campaign for each of the 19 churches in our region to raise $1,684 to build a new toilet system for the school attached to Notre Dame Cathedral and 300 students in students. Currently there is one latrine for 300 people. And that one is decrepit by our standards. For $32,000 we can build that system which will reduce disease, include cholera and improve sanitation.
The 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti in 2010 killed 310,000 and left 1 million homeless, rampant disease. This was to the poorest nation in this hemisphere before the earthquake. Here is a picture story
In 2011 a relationship was established between St. George’s and Notre Dame Cathedral in Port-au-Prince Haiti. Other churches in our Region, Trinity Episcopal, Christ Episcopal and Church of the Incarnation have contributed their donations and time and money toward developing this partnership. In particuarly they monies have provided scholarship for students for books and support for teachers.
Come on March 17 and contribute to this cause. We collected over $100 on March 3. We hope to be able to complete this by Easter .
Forgiveness final session on March 17, 9:45am
During the Sundays of Lent during the adult education hour, we will take a look at forgiveness, using the work of Father Frank Desiderio, a Catholic priest whose current ministry is helping people to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Forgiveness is good for your body, mind and spirit. You probably know that intuitively. There is plenty of research to prove that forgiveness helps heal the body and works in the brain to counteract the negative effects of anger.
For the Christian, forgiveness is a non-negotiable. Jesus insisted on it “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:14-15). Jesus forgave unconditionally from the cross, “Father forgive them they know not what they do” (Luke 23:24). We are called to be like Christ and forgive generously and sincerely.
Did you miss the earlier sessions ? Here are the notes to Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 and Part 4. We have had four weeks. The first week was on forgiveness in general and the second on why we should forgive. The third and fourth began a method called "Let Go" to handle forgiveness.
Tools for the Sudan
We have raised over $3,000 for this project. Thanks to one and all! Ideally we would like to be at $3,500 by the end of the month. Please continue to support this project for the new refugees streaming into South Sudan from the north.
- The overall project is described here.
- You can donate funds to help new refugees coming into Sudan through this shopping cart. Print it out and send your card and check to the address listed.
- OR you can pay online saving printing and a stamp.
Either way we thank you for your gift of a new beginning for those coming to our newest world country.
ECW Quiet Day, March 21, 2013
Have you signed up ? Registrations closed March 7 for the March 21, 2013 retreat. (Haven’t registered ? Contact ECW Rep Bryn Roth to see if you can squeeze in). Bishop Susan Goff will lead the retreat from 9:30am to 4:00pm at Roslyn 8727 River Road Richmond, Virginia. The theme is "Come to the Water."
Holy Scripture is filled with imagery of refreshing waters that restore parched lands and parched souls. In the holy season of Lent, we will pause to rest beside still waters, to find refreshment in running waters, and to wade into turbulent waters-all in order to draw closer to God.
The days are getting longer now and spring, a season of hope, a time of awakening and birthing will come to light. As we wait in hope for the outward signs of spring, new life stirring, arousing and emerging, Pause and turn your gaze inward. Consider how God is urging you, like the season of spring, to open up and grow. As you ponder how you are being invited into new life, consider the services and upcoming offerings within.
Dress comfortably. Bring your Bible. Bring your journal or notebook and pen. Bring a friend or two as we take this Lenten journey together. Lunch, snacks, and Eucharist are included in our day together. Men are welcome to attend.
Easter Memorials – Deadline March 24, 2013
This year you can give Easter lilies in honor, memory of or thanksgiving for others as in the past. They are $10 each.
Also we are adding the organ fund as a special opportunity for a gift. The organ requires $3,900 in work on the pedal board. The organ is a 1850 George Stevens, the only one like it in Virginia. We are fortunate to have Mark Thompson as our "organ mechanic." Help us keep it in proper maintenance !
The following form will be available from March 10-24 in church to complete and send in a check. You can find the form here