Vol. 33, Issue 3* March 2017 * Christ Episcopal Church, Norway, ME *

Transcription

1 Dear Ones, Vol. 33, Issue 3* March 2017 * Christ Episcopal Church, Norway, ME * I write this on Ash Wednesday, just after the 9:00 Eucharist. It was a hive of activity here this morning, a sign of the life and vitality of our congregation. It is always moving to me to make that mark of the cross on your foreheads, praying for each of you as I say, remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return. I think about who has been with us in the past but is no longer here. I think about the new faces in our midst. And I always get choked up when I am presented with the forehead of some sweet little child. This morning it was Malaikah and Kioko smiling at me as I marked them with a reminder of their own mortality. When it came time to bless Kioko at Communion, I couldn t resist pushing back, and I prayed that he grow to be an old, old man who knows the love of God every day of his long life. Lent is a time for acknowledging that none of us has forever. We will all, one day, return to the dust from which we are made. If you haven t already done so, I urge you to fill out a funeral planning worksheet to have on file. You can always change it. Please don t say, Oh, I ll let my family make those decisions. The days following a death are chaotic and stressful; the best gift you can give them is to make that one less thing they have to do. I also encourage you to participate in a Lenten discipline designed to celebrate the 500 th anniversary of the Reformation, a reflection on Luther s Small Catechism. It is formed around the 10 Commandments, The Creed, the Lord s Prayer, and the Sacraments, so even non-lutherans can find it meaningful. As Episcopalians, it might also spur you to look at our own catechism, found in the prayer book. Ours is a very different thing! Finally, during Lent both congregations will be using the same Sunday liturgy, a hybrid of both traditions. Some of the other Lutherpalian communities have already ventured into this experiment, as they worship together in one place. Because we each worship in our own space, it s not vital that we figure this out, but it s a good exercise for us, and Lent is always a good time to allow ourselves to feel a little off-kilter. I hope by the end of the season you will have gained an appreciation for the differences and realize that they really are very similar. It may even be a fun challenge to see if you can figure out what s Lutheran and what s Episcopal! Henry Male+ stopped in after the service this morning and commended me for continuing to do this work of cooperation between the Lutherans and Episcopalians work he began many years ago. I look forward to hearing your feedback. Blessings to you all, Nancy CHRIST CHURCH LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY Rector: The Rev. Canon Nancy L. Moore Deacon: The Rev. Lanny Wenthe Members of the Vestry Parish Secretary: Linda Caradonna Mary Bickford Warden:: Barbi Tinder Ted Kehn Warden: Sue Emerson Jen Lehr Clerk: Frances Martin Kelley Wallace Treasurer:

2 ANNIVERSARIES IN MARCH 15 Jim & MARCH BIRTHDAYS 05 Carolee Garcia 12 Catherine Bickford 14 Hank Emerson Thelma Cunningham 25 James Gates 30 Michael Trundy Susan Morin 31 Kathy Whittier Daylight Savings Time BEGINS on Sunday, MARCH 12!! Don t forget to set your clocks AHEAD ONE HOUR when you go to bed on Saturday, March 11th! CHAPEL SHEPHERDS March: 05 Susan Glines 12 Barbi Tinder 19 Beulah Ayer 26 Barbi Tinder April: 02 Susan Glines Beulah Ayer 23 Martha Eaton 30 Mary Bickford MARCH CALENDAR 01 9:00 A.M. Ash Wed. Service/Eucharist 11:30 A.M. Roundtable/Bible Study 4:00 P.M. Imposition of Ashes/no Euch :50 A.M. Choir rehearsal 08 10:00 A.M. Embracing the Silence 11:30 A.M. Roundtable/Bible Study 12 After Church Vestry 11:50 A.M. Choir rehearsal 15 11:30 A.M. Roundtable/Bible study 19 11:50 A.M. Choir rehearsal 3:00 P.M. Bethel House Church 20 BEEHIVE DEADLINE! 22 10:00 A.M. Embracing the Silence 11:30 A.M. Roundtable/Bible Study 26 11:50 A.M. Choir rehearsal 29 11:30 A.M. Roundtable/Bible Study Mid-Week Eucharist at 9:00 A.M. Do you want to get your Beehive by ? Just let us know! SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:30 A.M. EUCHARIST Wednesday at 9:00 Please note: If you are not able to serve on the designated Sunday, please swap with someone on the list. Thanks! Keep current with events at Christ Church. Website: Facebook: Christ Episcopal Church- Norway, Maine 2

3 The Deacon s Lens This lent I am giving up giving up. After all whom does it benefit? Say I give up sweets. I might benefit by losing a few pounds, but do I think God is saying, Wow! Look at her, she looks so trim! Nah. Only I would be the beneficiary. Jesus did not give up his life so he would feel good. No, he gave it up for us, for the redemption of our sins, for us. This lent I am changing prepositions. I am giving of and/or giving to. I will donate to the food pantry. I will give of my time volunteering at The Progress Center, I will expand my morning and evening prayers to include more thanksgivings and petitions for the benefit of others. I will smile more often. As Jesus said, what you do for the least of those, you do for me. Deacon Lanny STEWARDSHIP IS MANY THINGS GOD asks of us that we show our appreciation, our gratitude, for what we are given, by returning a portion to GOD. The biblical standard for determining how much is a tithe, or ten percent. It we think about that literally, it provokes some questions on those days when we might be feeling cynical. Does GOD have a secret Swiss bank account? Does GOD convert all that income into bold bullion or piles of diamonds in some sort of divine Fort Knox? Where does all that money go? There is another side to the returning of GOD s gifts. It is the recognition that GOD inspires our giving (of a lot more than just money) by means of the effect our giving has on us. Just think of the way we feel when we give a gift to someone who really needs it, without there being sense of it having been earned. I am thinking of an occasion like the news reports of a secret Santa handing out hundreds of dollars to people they do not now. Or those times when one helps another at a moment of desperate need. Perhaps that is when a natural catastrophe strikes, or in the midst of the chaos of warfare. Perhaps it is at a point of very personal and private crisis. I think that this side of returning GOD s gifts is the answer to the questions of the other side. Br. Matthias Tanner, O.S.L. 3

4 Photos by Barbi Tinder Having just enjoyed a whirlwind eleven days with our grandson Solomon and our daughter Lizz; it is a real shift to focus on Lent. As a child, Lent was a time of giving up something. During my teens the focus/ emphasis changed to taking on something for the season of Lent. So this Lent I am challenging myself to be in better touch with friends and family. I am striving to be more cognizant of others and am making the effort to be more conscious to positively comment on the work and responsibilities that others perform wherever I may encounter the activities. The photos above are from the Ice Castles in Lincoln, NH. The amazing sight of the structures made from icicles with portions alight after dark was simply amazing! - Barbi Tinder Wish List for our April 22nd Auction: Gift Certificates or Gift Cards Local Businesses are always hit up for donations from many different organizations for their fundraisers. This, however, is not something we at this church would like to do; but, what we would like to do is have some of our parishioners purchase gift cards or certificates from these local businesses. Below is a small example of merchants: Hannaford s, Walgreen s, Ari s Pizza, Ocean State Job Lots, Dunkin Donuts, Sunday River, Norway Soft Serve Ice Cream Bolster s Decorating, Fair Share Market, VIP, Applebee s Food City, Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, Steve s Variety New Balance, Grassroots, Cumberland Farms, Subway, Books and Things, Lake Store, Cooper s, Young s Green House Hair Dressers, Dry Cleaners, Alpine Street Variety, Barber s Daddy O s, Gas Card, Wal-Mart, Label Shopper The list is endless, It would be nice to see about gift certificates, $10.00 and up. We are also looking for someone to read to a person for 1 Hour at the Norway Library, make a Dinner for two, or Make a fresh Fruit Basket, if you have a talent and are willing to share it (I can make up some gift certificates for these events.) Here is an example: I am making four gift Certificates for a free basket making class. Your help is needed! Thanks, Christine Hebert 4

5 Funeral Planning Sheet (some parts borrowed from the St. Stephen s, Fargo website) Name: Address: Date of Birth: Family members and others (names, relationship and contact info) who should be notified of your death: Have you made arrangements with a funeral home? If so, which one? Do you wish to be cremated?* Yes No Location of service: Church (preferred for members) Funeral home Graveside Other: The rite of Christian burial is described in the Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 491 It is the norm to include the Eucharist. Please check here if you do NOT want Communion. What hymns (if any) would you like to include? What passages of Scripture would you like to include? (see recommendations in the BCP) Have you selected pallbearers? If so, who? Will there be a graveside service or a service of committal of the ashes? If so, where will this be? Have you chosen a charity to receive gifts in your name and memory? If so, what charity? Is there any other information you want to include? Signed: Date: *Cremation is an acceptable option in the Episcopal Church. If you would like more information, please ask Pastor Nancy. 5

6 CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 35 Paris Street, Norway, ME MARCH 2017 WORSHIP & OTHER PERSONNEL MARCH & APRIL 2017 PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO SERVE ON A SCHEDULED DATE, PLEASE FIND A REPLACEMENT. LET THE CHURCH OFFICE KNOW THAT PERSON S NAME BY THE TUES. MORNING BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED DAY. Coffee Hour will be AFTER church. Coffee is also available in the Guild Room before the church service. EUCH. MARCH 05 MARCH 12 MARCH 19 MARCH 26 MINISTER Mary Bickford Peter Hammond Peter Bickford ACOLYTE Doug Wall LECTORS USHERS Peter Bickford M. Bickford-OT/Pr. K. Willoughby-PS./NT Wes McFarland Rosemary Laban Jason Wallace Mary Bickford P. Hammond-OT/Pr. C. Kroitzsh-Ps./NT Beulah Ayer P. Bickford-OT/Pr. Br. Matthias-Ps./NT Carol & Steve Jones T. Knight-OT/Pr. T. Kehn-Ps./NT Carol & Steve Jones COUNTERS Peter Hammond Carolyn Tanner COFFEE HOUR Carolyn Tanner Rosemary Laban Mary Bickford Carol Jones ALTAR GUILD Feb. 25 March 10 Martha Eaton March 11 March 24 Mary Bickford March 25 April 07 Bernice Kehn Thelma Cunningham Bonnie Trundy EUCH. APRIL 02 APRIL 09 APRIL 16 EASTER APRIL 23 Morning Prayer APRIL 30 MINISTER Allan Crane Sue Emerson Mary Bickford Barbi Tinder ACOLYTE Doug Wall Peter Hammond LECTORS A. Crane OT/Pr. USHERS S. Jones Ps./NT Beulah Ayer COUNTERS Peter Hammond COFFEE Jason Wallace Peter Bickford Peter Hammond S. Emerson OT/Pr. K. Willoughby Ps./NT Wes McFarland M. Bickford OT/Pr. C. Jones Ps./NT Steve & Carol Jones Br. Matthias P. McFarland Beulah Ayer Carolyn Tanner Peter Hammond B. Tinder OT/Pr. T. Kehn Ps Peter & Mary Bickford HOUR Jen Lehr Christine Hebert Carol Jones Sue Emerson Fran Martin ALTAR GUILD March 25-April 7 Bernice Kehn April 8 April 21 Jan Wall April 22-May 5 Martha Eaton Bonnie Trundy Merton Lord T. Cunningham 6