Abide in me as I abide in you. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. John 15:4, 9.

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1 The Episcopal Church of the Nativity Volume 2018, Issue 2 THE MESSENGER Abide in me as I abide in you. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. John 15:4, 9. I ve often thought that the English word love never quite captured the depth and breadth of what that word can mean. For example, I love my Ragdoll cats, Thomas and Bingley. I also love a square of imported dark chocolate and the book Jane Eyre. And yet, at a deeper level, I love my family, and even deeper than that, I love God. I can use the word love when speaking of all of these desires and relationships, and yet the love I have for a novel and the love I have for God are nowhere near the same. Imagine, then, the kind of love that God has for you and for me. That is certainly a love that is more expansive and lasting than any kind of love we can imagine. And yet, we believe that not only does God love us, God calls us to live into that love in relationship with God through the beloved Son, Jesus. In John s Gospel, Jesus invites us to abide in him and his love so that we may also share in the Father s love. This love is not a flash-in-the pan or a momentary affair, but is abiding something that remains, a love that moves with us during the ups and downs of life, a love that hangs in there. This Lent, we will spend prayerful time focusing on God s love for us manifested through Jesus in the Gospel of John. Bishop Gretchen has invited all parishes in the Diocese to explore this topic using a Lenten prayer series entitled Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John: A Lenten Journey for the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. This series comes to us from the Society of St. John the Evangelist, an Episcopal monastic community in Massachusetts and the Center for the Ministry of Teaching at Virginia Theological Seminary. The series is not scholastic in nature, but rather focuses on helping us develop a richer prayer life through scripture and reflection. We will use specially crafted journals that can be used both for individual prayer and reflection and as part of our Thursday soup and study lunches. I m excited about this year s program. If you have never experienced the prayerful offerings of The Society of St. John the Evangelist before, you are in for a treat! As we prepare to enter into a prayerful Lent, we will spend time at the coffee hour following both the 8AM and 10:30AM services on Sunday, February 4 th sharing table topics on the subject of God s love for us. These questions can help prepare our minds and hearts as we move into our Lenten program. While the questions are simple, they can certainly lead to deep places and, in conversation with one another, can ultimately lead us into wonderful reflection about God s love for us. I invite you to join us at these special coffee hour conversations on February 4 th. ~Pastor Mary Ayers

2 Page 2 Volume 2018, Issue 2 NATIVITY S OUTREACH: FOOD PANTRY Thank you to everyone who helps with our food pantry, from picking up food at the Food Bank or Winco, stocking shelves, staffing the pantry, bringing food, and moving our Senior Commodity Food Boxes, it is all needed help and much appreciated, especially by those who need the food. If you would like to get involved with this important ministry, please signup in the parish hall and/or call the office for information. SATURDAY SUPPER On January 13th, Harold Crook s team served a supper, serving 57 individuals. On January 27th, Rosemary Daubert s team will serve the supper. Looking ahead, we have scheduled Rick and Leslie Smith s team (February 10th) and Rose Mortensen s team (February 24th) serving our Saturday Suppers. Thank you to all team leaders and members who make this ministry a success! SNAKE RIVER CLINIC The next delivery of finger-food, for approximately 15 workers at the clinic, will be Tuesday, February 13th. Thank you to Rosemary and Susan Gray for signing up! If you would like to assist with this ministry in future months, please find the sign-up sheet on the table in the parish hall. SALVATION ARMY SOUP KITCHEN We will be helping to prepare, serve and clean up from the meal at the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., on Wednesday, February 28th. If you would like to join us in serving others, please call Pat Johnson at Thank you to all volunteers! CHANCEL GUILD PARISH GROUPS Pat Johnson and Toni Pierce hosted eleven members at our January meeting. Toni provided mini tacos and Pat treated us to cream puff dessert. The devotion was the book Follow Me by Mordicai Gerstein, read by Toni. Treasurer, Pat Johnson, reported the checks for the Christmas gifts were written as well as $89.31 to Church Periodical Club, for our 2017 donation. Caryl Mackey reported she sent three cards, from the guild, since our last meeting. Maxine Hubbell stated it is not too soon to start spring cleaning and bringing things for our rummage sale. We celebrated Caryl Mackey s birthday with prayer and song. Our next meeting is February 5 th, at 1pm, with hosts Karen Parkman and Nancy Rosch.

3 Page 3 Volume 2018, Issue Page 23 MEN S BREAKFAST The Men's breakfast meets the second Saturday of each month, exclusive of summer, 9-10:15. Our next gathering is Saturday the 10th. We eat a good breakfast and then engage in Morning Prayer from the BCP. If you have any questions, please contact Jerry Pierce, Richard Moore, or Harold Crook. PASTORAL CARE COMMITTEE The pastoral care committee will meet Tuesday, February 13 th, at 11am, in the vestry room. NATIVITY SOUPER BOWL! On Super Bowl Sunday (2/4) bring your cans of soup to show support for the team you re rooting for The Philadelphia Eagles or The New England Patriots! We ll have a box for each team set up in the parish hall! All donations will go towards our food pantry. SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE SUPPER Shrove Tuesday is February 13 th and we will mark this high feast with our traditional pancake supper, starting at 5:00 p.m. Bring a friend! ALSO, as part of our Shrove Tuesday Festival, we will have a silent auction of goods and services; items donated by members of the parish. All proceeds of this auction will go toward a worthy fund/cause decided by the Vestry. Please consider what you might be able to donate; high ticket goods are particularly desired but all items are welcome. ASHES TO ASHES 2 Ash Wednesday services will be held on February 14th: 7:00 A.M. 7:00 P.M.

4 Page 4 Volume 2018, Issue Page 24 LENTEN STUDY PROGRAM On Sunday, February 11th (the Sunday prior to the first Sunday of Lent) we will distribute a Lenten Study Book given to all parishes from our Diocese of Spokane. Titled, Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John - A Lenten journey for the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, this book will lead our study throughout Lent. Study sessions will take place every Tuesday (starting 2/20) - Soup will be served at 11:45am Study will begin at 12:15pm. DIOCESAN EVENTS Values in Action Conference February 2-3, 2018 at St. John's Cathedral, Spokane, WA. Register now! This annual conference takes place in New York City and at partner sites around the country via livestream, including at St. John's Cathedral, Spokane, Washington. We all want to create a better world-and that requires action and connection. Discerning shared values is crucial to forming powerful partnerships and moving forward with courageous intention. For more information check out our bulletin board in the Parish Hall or look online: est+january+2018&utm_campaign=january+digest&utm_medium= Women's Retreat: All women of the diocese are invited to attend. Join us for a women's retreat, open to all women in the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. Come ready to retreat into a space of quiet, a time to ponder, a time to pray, a time to be with God. The theme of the retreat is "Loved & Called; Listen & Respond" and"what is the action of God towards us?" Register before March 2nd to attend the diocesan Women's Retreat on Friday, March 16th through Saturday, March 17th, 2018 at Immaculate Heart Retreat Center in Spokane, WA. Mrs. Vera and the Rev. Nolan Redman are the guest speakers, facilitators. Start time will be 5pm Friday through 1pm Saturday, with dinner, breakfast and wrapping up after lunch Saturday. The cost for this wonderful retreat is $50 for overnight guests and $35 for commuters. All costs have been subsidized by Bishop Rehberg. Register online: spokanediocese.formstack.com/forms/diocesan_events? utm_source=diocesan+digest+january+2018&utm_campaign=january+digest&utm_medi um=

5 Page 5 Volume 2016, Issue 2 BIRTHDAYS IN FEBRUARY Jess Stone 2 nd Bill Fitzgerald 15 th Ann Schuyler 3 rd Sandra Baggett 18 th Sandra Cash 5 th LaRae Holm 22 nd Pat Johnson 8 th Bob Coats 28 th Susan Pearson 9 th Monte Steiger 28 th Pete Ruppel 10 th THE ALTAR GUILD Our thanks to those who have donated sanctuary candles: February 4 - OPEN February 11 - OPEN February 18 - OPEN February 25 - Given by Don and Maxine Hubbell Our thanks to those who have donated flowers for the altar: February 4 - OPEN February 11 - OPEN February 18 - No Flowers during Lent February 25 - No Flowers during Lent We will not have altar flowers during Lent (Ash Wednesday April 1st)

6 Page 6 Volume 2018, Issue 2 WEEKLY SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Sunday: Eucharist - 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Bible Study/choir practice - 9:00 a.m. Monday - Friday: Noon Day Prayer - 12:15 p.m. Tuesday: Book Study - 9:00 a.m. Supper study 5:30/6 pm Food pantry open 8:45-noon. Wednesday: Eucharist - 7:00 a.m. FEBRUARY 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Vestry 6pm Epiphany 5 SOUPer Bowl 5 6 Snake River Clinic Sat. Supper 4-5:30 P.M. & Food Pantry 11 Last Epiphany Ash Wed. 7am & 7pm Lent Sat. Supper 4-5:30 P.M. & Food Pantry 25 Lent Salvation Army Soup Kitchen 29 30

7 Page 7 SERVICE SCHEDULE FOR FEBRUARY Volume 2018, Issue 2 DATE February 4 February 11 February 18 February 25 8:00 AM 8:00 AM 8:00 AM 8:00 AM Ushers Don and Maxine Hubbell Neal and Peggy Flowers John Willows Neal and Peggy Flowers E.M. John Willows Pete Ruppel Jess Stone Jerry Pierce Lector Deloris Jungert Maxine Hubbell Jerry Pierce Joe Lillard POP Frances Hedrick Jerry Pierce Anne Rhoads Pete Ruppel 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM Greeters Ray and Nancy Rosch Rosemary Daubert Rose Mortensen Marcu Johnson Ushers Noel Abbott & Rosemary Daubert Caryl Mackey and Ray Rosch Sue Johnson & Marcu Johnson Noel Abbott & Rosemary Daubert E.M. Phyl Lacy Marcu Johnson Phyl Lacy Caryl Mackey Lectors Toni Pierce Pat Johnson Harold Crook Rose Mortensen Ray Rosch Fran Caradine Marcu Johnson Jane Abbott POP Fran Caradine Mary Lou Gregory Caryl Mackey Nancy Rosch Altar Guild Pat Johnson Roberta Coats Marilyn Harris Marcu Johnson Caryl Mackey Rosemary Daubert Karen Parkman Debbie Riedle Charissa Graham Rose Mortensen Johnette Moore Maxine Hubbell Fran Caradine Coffee Hour Caradines - Fran and Hilary OPEN! OPEN! OPEN!

8 Page 8 Volume 2018, Issue 2 THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY th Street Lewiston, Idaho Office: office@nativitylewiston.com Pastor Mary: (509) pastormarynativity@gmail.com CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY Wardens/Vestry FIND US ON THE WEB! Vestry: Vestry elections were not known at the time this Messenger was published. us on Facebook! Episcopal Church of the Nativity