Crossings. The Servant Songs of Isaiah CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS EPISCOPAL 875 COTTON STREET, SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA MARCH 27, 2019

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1 Crossings CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS EPISCOPAL 875 COTTON STREET, SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA MARCH 27, 2019 Holy Eucharist Sunday: 9:20 and 11:00 am Saturday: 5:00 pm Book Study and Eucharist Thursdays during Lent: 11:00 am Nursery Sunday 9:45 am 12:30 pm Choir Rehearsal Sunday: 9:45 am Sunday School Sunday: 10:30 am The Vestry Reid Raymond, Senior Warden Ginger Paul, Junior Warden Mike Wilkerson, Secretary Tommie Sue Brooks Maggie Fowle Rick Hadwin Anna Grace Madden Donna Neal Sara Townsend Monty Walford, Treasurer (non-vestry) Contact Information Telephone: (318) Fax: (318) Please visit our website Contact the Editor Please send material for articles, along with ideas, suggestions, or complaints, to The Servant Songs of Isaiah Our Lenten Crossings highlights each week one of the four Servant Songs of Second Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12).The poems, written by a prophet or prophets as Israel neared the end of her exile in Babylon (c BCE), are excellent material for meditation during Lent. The authors were probably members of a school of prophets in Jerusalem who studied and wrote in Isaiah s legacy. Their unique purpose is to encourage the people of Irael in their exile by defining Israel s place in God s plan and promising that their suffering, endured for God s purpose, would end in reward. While they envisioned the servant in the poems to be an individual, the servant s life and call from God are likely intended to embody the life and call from God to Israel. The servant can be understood as a corporate figure. We remember that Jesus teaching on the night he was betrayed was of the necessity for each of us to be a servant to all. He went so far as to insist that if Peter would not allow him to wash his feet as a servant, Peter would have no part in him. This is hard. While we may intend to live as servants to others, we often cannot be prepared for the suffering we will encounter. The Servant Songs seek to make sense of Israel s suffering at the hands of Babylon and Assyria, to place her within God s plan of salvation. They have served that purpose through the centuries as Israel has suffered under Ancient Greece, Rome, Nazi Germany, and within the neighborhoods and cultures where they have lived. As we reflect on the teaching of the poems we find them woven into the faithfulness of the Jews and their persistence working for the benefit of their communities. The poems teach us that to be the servants God calls us to be means that suffering for the sake of others will be an integral part of our life. This week we highlight the third poem (Isaiah 50:4-11). The servant is sure of God s call and has committed to it. But he or she is seeing that life is going to be no bed of roses. Nevertheless, the servant goes forward, determined,

2 a teacher to sustain the weary and one ready to learn from God each day. We see complete trust in God as the only one who will vindicate the servant, and we see also the seeds of the servant s identity in Jesus as perceived by the Early Christians and by many today. Even though the Servant Songs are not to be read as foretelling the coming of a savior to Israel, Jesus life must have been shaped by them. His eyes were wide open, he knew what he was going into, as nevertheless he set his face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). We see that trust in God sustains him. The Third Servant Song, Isaiah 50:4-11 The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backwards. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty? all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant, who walks in darkness and has no light, yet trusts in the name of the LORD and relies upon his God? But all of you are kindlers of fire, lighters of firebrands. Walk in the flame of your fire, and among the brands that you have kindled! this is what you shall have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment. How do you hear God s call to the servant? Is God s call to you in there somewhere? Have you seen suffering in those who serve others? As you seek to answer God s call to servanthood, do you foresee suffering? Can there be serving without suffering? The Rev. Mary B. Richard Look back from where we have come. The path was at times an open road of joy, at others a steep and bitter track of stones and pain. How could we know the joy without the suffering? And how could we endure the suffering but that we are warmed and carried on the breast of God? Desmond Tutu In the Narthex From Episcopal Relief and Development: Lenten meditation booklets. You may also receive them by at: From Episcopal Public Policy Network: Letters asking for support to raise the minimum wage, and to expand background checks for firearm sales. An Op-Ed article by columnist David Brooks of the New York Times: Restitution: A Reluctant Convert.

3 Daily Feast: Meditations on the Word, Year B Louisville: Westminster, John Knox Press, 2012 The Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year C March 31, 2019 Joshua 5: Corinthians 5:16-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 Psalm 32 (Joshua 5:9-12) This time and place mark a new beginning for [the children of Israel]. The Lord declares to Joshua, Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt (Josh.5:9). It is language that can propel our hearts forward across centuries to another time and place where God will again roll something away, a stone from the entrance of a tomb. Neither the disgrace of Egypt nor the darkness of sin and death can finally stand as obstacles to the power of God s love to redeem and give life. God is able to bring forth life out of death and disgrace. Daniel M. Deveboise The Fifth Sunday in Lent, Year C April 7, 2019 Isaiah 43:16-21 Philippians 3:4b-14 John 12:1-8 Psalm 126 (Isaiah 43:16-21) Do we perceive it? Are we prepared for the reversal that God is about to perform? Or will we, like the children of Israel, proclaim that we had it better when we were slaves? Most pastors have heard the phrase, We ve never done it that way before. These words, sometimes called the seven last words of the church, are evidence that we do not perceive the new thing that God is doing now. Are we so comfortable in our present selfunderstanding that we are unable to perceive what God is doing in our midst? Is there a difference between remembering the God who leads us to freedom and clinging to past practices that continue to enslave us? Michael E. Williams Calendar for March and early April Saturdays Holy Eucharist 5:00 pm Chapel Sundays Informal Eucharist 9:20 am Rose Garden or Chapel Nursery 9:45 am-12:15 pm Education Building Sunday School 10:30 am Education Building Holy Eucharist 11:00 am Nave Thursdays Art and Bible Study 1:30 pm Fairmont Apartments Wednesdays during Lent Soup Days 11:00 am-1:00 pm Undercroft Thursdays during Lent Study class 11:00 am Undercroft Holy Eucharist 12:00 noon Undercroft Art and Bible Study 1:30 pm Fairmont Apartments Fridays during Lent Stations of the Cross 12:00 noon Nave April 5-7 Young Adult Weekend Recess TBA Camp Hardtner Sunday, April 7 The Continuing Feast after the 11:00 service Undercroft Wednesday, April 17 Bishop Owensby: A Resurrection 6:00 pm First Presbyterian Church Shaped Life book discussion Thursday, April 18 Maundy Thursday Holy Eucharist, 12:00 noon Undercroft Foot Washing, Lunch Holy Eucharist, Divesting of the Altar 5:00 pm Nave Friday, April 19 Good Friday Liturgy 12:00 noon Nave

4 Prayer List Wanda Allen Peggy Archuleta Margaret Boudreaux Patti Brabham Sara Lou Coyle Brachman Cary Rhea Brooks Mikey Carlisle Georgia Cook Hugh Coyle Ron Dean Jean Dooley Donna Earnest Shirley Enani Floyd Buzzy Farrar Robin Foster Maggie Fowle Betty Gossom Christine Hennigan Bari Hochwald Barbara Hughes Kate Jackson Maureen Locke Eleanor Mangum Mim McCoy Rosemary McKinney Margaret Ann Pou Evelyn Powell Jim Santa Ana Brady Sessions Jackson Cavett Sibley Jack Theurkauf Robert Todd Sara Townsend David Walsh Jimmy Wise Larry Wright Mary Wright We pray for those who serve and are served by Providence House; for our Congress people and our president, that they may set aside pride and ambition and serve those who are vulnerable, especially the families separated at our borders; for all people persecuted for the sake of their faith; for the people of Christchurch, New Zealand; for refugees fleeing disaster, war, abuse, and famine and hoping for a new life; for all who grieve or suffer in any way, and for those who care for them; for teachers, parents and children, that our homes and schools may be places of learning and safety; for the people of our country, that we may work in unity to overcome our fears and prejudices, to work to eliminate defamatory speech and to speak kindly and respectfully of all people; for people in all places where there is war and fear; for those who seek peace and justice; and for the future of our country as we seek solutions to violence, injustice and peace among the nations. In our Diocesan cycle of prayer we pray for Christ Church, Bastrop, the Rev. Christie Fleming (Scott); for St. George s, Bossier City, the Very Rev. Jaime Flowers (Denise), the Rev. Deacon Lois Maberry (Ron); for Trinity, Cheneyville, Holy Comforter, Lecompte, the Rev. André Bordelon (Rose). In the Anglican cycle of prayer we pray for the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, the Most Rev. Paul Kwong, Archbishop of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui and Bishop of Hong Kong Island; and for the Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean, the Most Rev. James Richard Wong Yin Song, Archbishop of the Province of the Indian Ocean and Bishop of the Seychelles. If we were judged only by the visible results of our faith, we might not have much fruit to show. Yet God continues to plant in us the seed of the Word.... God s compassion and patience are beyond our understanding; and it is precisely this steadfast love that reveals a God who sees in us not the results of what we have done or become, but our potential for growth and bearing fruit. Donald S. Armentrout Lay Ministries The Fourth Sunday in Lent: March 31 Sunday 11:00 am: Lectors: Edward Cloyd-Baldwin, Reece Middleton Prayers of the People: Deacon Kay Hunter Eucharistic Ministers: Deacon Kay Hunter, Herschel Richard Acolyte: Steve Snodgrass Ushers: Tommie Sue Brooks, Gerry Brooks Altar Guild Saturday 5:00 pm: Margaret Heacock, Edward Cloyd-Baldwin Altar Guild Sunday 11:00 am: Deacon Kay Hunter, Becky Snodgrass The Fifth Sunday in Lent: April 7 Sunday 11:00 am: Lectors: Kendall Raymond, Reece Middleton Prayers of the People: Sr. Anna Grace Madden Eucharistic Ministers: Ginger Paul, Herschel Richard Acolytes: Hannah Wallace, Joe Bob Evanson, Addylaide Evanson Ushers: Mike Wilkerson, Laura Wilkerson Altar Guild Saturday 5:00 pm: Margaret Heacock, Edward Cloyd-Baldwin Altar Guild Sunday 11:00 am: Tommie Sue Brooks, Sara Townsend

5 Wednesday in Holy Week, April 17 A Resurrection Shaped Life: Dying and Rising on Planet Earth by Bishop Jake Owensby 6:00 PM First Presbyterian Church (enter from the parking lot on Stoner Ave.) On Wednesday of Holy Week Bishop Owensby will be in Shreveport to talk about his book, answer questions, and sign books. Holy Cross is sponsoring the evening with First Presbyterian Church. Please plan to come to the discussion! A Resurrection Shaped Life is available on Amazon.com in hard copy ($12.46) or as a Kindle e- book ($9.99). Altar Flowers: a beautiful way to share your love for someone. If you would like to remember or honor someone, or offer thanksgiving, or glorify God in a visible and beautiful way, please call the church office, The cost for the two arrangements is $100. Often we are able to enjoy the flowers for two or even three weeks! Service Music The Fourth Sunday in Lent: March 31 Mass: Merbecke; Ambrosian Chant, adapt. Martens Psalm 32: Responsorial Tone IV.C Hymns: 467 St. Bees 641 Southwell 690 Cwm Rhondda Solo: He that is down fear no fall anon. tune from Scottish Psalter, 1635 Anthem: Bread of heaven Heinlein, arr. B. Power Organ: Laetare Turnemire Litanies Alain Chorale in Bm C. Franck Elevation I, Op. 32 Dupré Mass: Psalm 126: Hymns: Anthem: Organ: The Fifth Sunday in Lent: April 7 Mr. David Sherman, Guest Organist/Choirmaster Merbecke; Ambrosian Chant, adapt. Martens Plainsong Tone VIII Wer nur den lieben Gott 697 Song Langham Who at my door is standing? anon. English tune, arr. K. Lee Scott Elevation II and III, Op. 32; Lamento Dupré Fugue in Bm, BWV 379 J. S. Bach

6 More love notes to Holy Cross: What do you love about Holy Cross? Why do you come every Sunday? What do you value about Holy Cross ministry? Here are a few of the things we value: The grace and mission of the congregation; all are welcome. The spirit of compassion. The preaching. The feeling of the Holy Spirit s presence. Small but caring, concern and comradery of people. Stations of the Cross Fridays during Lent, 12:00 noon March 29; April 5, 12 Soup Days Wednesdays during Lent 11:00 am 1:00 pm in the Undercroft March 27, April 3, 10 The Way of the Cross (Stations of the Cross) A devotion to the Passion of Christ which recalls a series of events at the end of Jesus life from his condemnation to his burial. The Book of Occasional Services includes the following stations in the Way of the Cross: (1) Jesus is condemned to death; (2) Jesus takes up his cross; (3) Jesus falls the first time; (4) Jesus meets his afflicted mother; (5) the cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene; (6) a woman wipes the face of Jesus; (7) Jesus falls a second time; (8) Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem; (9) Jesus falls a third time; (10) Jesus is stripped of his garments; (11) Jesus is nailed to the cross; (12) Jesus dies on the cross; (13) the body of Jesus is placed in the arms of his mother; (14) Jesus is laid in the tomb. The book notes that eight of the stations are based on events that are recorded in the gospels. The remaining six stations (stations 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, and 13) are based on inferences from the gospels or pious legends. The book allows these six stations to be omitted from the Way of the Cross. The Book of Occasional Services provides opening devotions and the Lord s Prayer. There is a versicle and response, a reading, a prayer, and a collect for each of the fourteen stations. Concluding prayers before the altar follow the fourteenth station in the book s service. The hymn Stabat Mater has been associated with the Way of the Cross. Verses of this hymn traditionally have been sung between each of the stations when the devotion is done by a congregation. Stabat Mater appears as At the cross her vigil keeping, Hymn 159 in Hymnal The Book of Occasional Services suggests that verses of this hymn be sung as the ministers enter for the Way of the Cross and as they approach the first station. The book also suggests that the Trisagion be chanted as the procession goes from station to station. The Way of the Cross is a popular devotion that is often done on Fridays during Lent. However, it should not replace the Proper Liturgy for Good Friday. Some have questioned the disassociation of Jesus death from his resurrection. From An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

7 Join Us for Weekend Recess at Camp Hardtner! This Young Adult Weekend is a diocesan ministry that seeks to empower and connect young adults (ages 18-35) across the church. It s a laid-back weekend with only light programming to help encourage young adults in their spiritual growth and practice, with small groups, worship, and recreation. Whether you re seeking the spirit, community, reconnecting, or maybe just a new experience, this weekend is for you! April 5-7 at Camp Hardtner Register on the Diocesan Website PLEASE BRING SOCKS! For the past several years Maundy Thursday has offered a very meaningful beginning to the end of Holy Week: a neighborhood Eucharist, foot washing, and a meal with our friends and neighbors. This is a tradition begun by our Bishop, sponsored by St. Luke s Episcopal Mobile Medical Ministry, and shared with the Episcopal churches of our convocation and our neighbors. It is also the time when we witness fully what it is to be a servant. Each neighbor who comes will receive a new pair of shoes and socks, purchased by St. Luke s and donated by the members of our churches. Please bring new socks for men and women. You can bring them to the church office, or place them in the blue laundry basket at the entrance to the Nave. If you would rather contribute funds to purchase shoes and socks, checks made out to St. Luke s Episcopal Mobile Medical Ministry, marked socks, will be given to St. Luke s and used for that purpose. Most important of all: If you are able to come and participate in worship, help give out shoes and socks, or serve lunch, please do! As always, those who serve receive in greater and unexpected ways blessings from those who are served. Maundy Thursday, April 18 Holy Cross Undercroft 11:00 am The Continuing Feast: Sunday, April 7 Bring your favorite Lenten dish appetizer, salad, main dish, side dish, or dessert and join us for lunch. If you re not a cook, store-bought is just fine. Bring your family and friends, and be sure to bring your appetite for good food, good conversation, and the welcoming fellowship of Holy Cross.

8 Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal P.O. Box 1627 Shreveport, LA Website: Non-Profit Organization U S Postage PAID SHREVEPORT, LA Permit No Return service requested Mission Statement: The Church of the Holy Cross, Shreveport, Louisiana, strives to be the presence of Jesus Christ in our community and beyond, through worship of Almighty God, open inquiry, sharing fellowship, valued diversity, genuine inclusiveness, and servant leadership encouraging all to exercise God s gifts and calling as we share the Gospel of Hope in programs, to serve without regard for religious affiliation, race, or economic status. Hope House: There is an ongoing need for coffee, sugar, creamer, laundry detergent, disposable razors, and personal-size hygiene products (soap, shampoo, deodorant, etc.) Please take your donations to 762 Austen Place or to the church office. Thank you for your continued support. Forward Day by Day for March and April, in both standard and large-print editions, is available in the Narthex and the Undercroft. The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Ph.D. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Jacob Owensby, Ph.D., D. D. The Rev. Mary B. Richard The Rev. Kay Hunter The Rev. Kenneth W. Paul The Rev. Donald D. Heacock Mr. Bruce Power Mr. Ron Dean Mrs. Laurie Connell Mr. Charles Alford XXVII Presiding Bishop IV Bishop of Western Louisiana Rector Deacon Rector Emeritus Director, Holy Cross Child Placement Organist-Choirmaster Organist-Choirmaster Emeritus Office Administrator Sexton