Shamrock St.Patrick Newsletter

Transcription

1 St.Patrick Newsletter March 2018 Edition Highlights: Breaking Bread p. 1 Bishop Search Survey p. 3 St. Patrick s Celebration p. 3 Easter Calendar p. 3 Deacon Ordination p. 4 Bigfork Food Bank p. 4 St. Patrick Update p. 4 Shrove Tuesday p. 5 Birthdays/Anniversaries p. 6 Breaking Bread The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either but right through every human heart. Alexander Solzhenitsyn Around the parish during Lent. Valentine s Day and Ash Wednesday intersected profoundly as many gathered to get in gear for some wilderness travel, repentance and immersion in God s love and presence. St. Patrick s homemade ashes, with a bit of balsam oil, provided a reminder of the frailty of our human hearts. The Rev. Donnel O Flynn, Rector of Christ Church, Kalispell, MT also stopped by the undercroft to give a slide tour from his research for Holy Cross, Living Tree. Book signing and lunch at Echo Café topped off the Thursday morning. Donnel challenges us to handle the cross of Christ as if it were literally alive-- the tree of life itself. Did you know there were two trees in the center of the Garden of Eden? (Genesis 2:9) Father O'Flynn The Rev. Greg Peters, Rector of St. Alban s Edmonds, WA dropped into the undercroft on another Thursday morning for a tour of our church in only a few minutes we discovered that his cousin is a clergy friend of mine in The Diocese of Southwest Florida! Greg is also a good friend of Faye Lomax. His presence reminds us that we are part of a very large Christian family. The Rev. Aaron Scofield, Director of Child Bridge preached on the second Sunday in Lent and gave a presentation on the ministry of Child Bridge and Care Portal. Carol Beyer is St. Patrick s liason for the Care Portal

2 Page 2 of 6 program a new way for our parish to reach out to the needs of the world by supporting Christian foster care. Aaron truly inspired us to become a vital part of the Care Portal network. March 1, Ann LePage guided the parish through a half day retreat of quiet, learning and meditation. She introduced us to Ignatian spirituality. Ann, an experienced retreat facilitator, ministers from a heart of compassion to those hungry and thirsty for God in their lives. The morning concluded with a meal of homemade soups and breads in the undercroft. Ann and Tom LePage Halfway through Lent, you and I are already fed, blessed and discipled richly. When Jesus said, Take up your cross, he never intended we do so alone or undernourished spiritually. As a people who struggle with the dividing line in our hearts between new creation and sin we need the support of Christian friends, the Word of God and the sacraments. There are three more weeks to indulge ourselves in spiritual endeavors and to soak up God s life constantly poured into us. Early on Easter Sunday (April 1) through the symbolic action of lighting a new fire, may all our hearts be rekindled with God s life and light. This fire will be brought into the church not just by the Paschal Candle but by each believer who is bold to proclaim, Alleluia, Christ is risen. The lord is risen indeed. Bring a bell on the day of RESURRECTION. ELECTING THE NEXT BISHOP OF MONTANA November 1, 2018 Bishop Brookhart retires as Montana s Diocesan Bishop. Plans and preparations for the search and election of his successor are well underway. We do not yet know the person who will fill the post, but we do know Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will be in Helena on December 7, 2019 to consecrate him or her. Save the date!! The next step for the Diocese is an On-line survey, followed by a Clergy listening session at Clergy Conference April th. Every Parish will have an opportunity to hold a listening session on a Sunday. St. Patrick s will have a guest preacher and facilitator to lead us in mid- April. Gathering all the information and input around the Diocese will result in a Diocesan profile. Then late in the summer, the Call will be posted and nominees will be received by the Search Committee. Bishop Brookhart It is a privilege and opportunity to be invited into the listening process in a very clear and meaningful way. I ask all who are able to participate. Questions may be answered in writing from a distance by those who are not yet back after winter. You are the Body of Christ. Louise+

3 Page 3 of 6 Bishop Search Survey Every parishioner is requested to take a brief on-line survey that will help establish the priorities and qualities of our next bishop. To take the survey, go to: The last day to take the survey is Sunday, April 15. ST. PATRICK S DAY CELEBRATION March 17 is celebrated throughout the world as St. Patrick s Day, in honor of the missionary who helped spread Christianity through Ireland. At St. Patrick s Episcopal Church in Bigfork, we choose to honor his life on March 18 th, with a festive Eucharist and a traditional Irish meal. Tom LePage will be guest preacher. Tom and his wife Ann have spent many years in Africa trying to encourage sustainable farming, with proper use of water, soil and seed management. It is fitting that we honor our patron saint hearing about the works in the present day mission field. We will be giving the Lenten offering to Tom LePage, to help continue the work that he and his wife Ann have been supporting. Special music and video of The Ring of Kerry will be shown during the meal, served in the undercroft immediately following the Sunday service. ( Sign up sheet for the St. Patrick s Day meal is currently at the entrance, and we welcome all to participate!) Easter Calendar March 25 (Palm Sunday) 10am - Holy Eucharist March 29 (Agape Thursday) 5:30pm meal in undercroft 7:00pm Service March 30 (Good Friday) 11:30am Stations of the Cross Community Service (Bethany Lutheran) 3:30pm March 31 (Holy Saturday) 10:00am Lessons and Prayers April 1 (EASTER!) 7:30am Service Lighting of the new Fire And Conclusion of the Easter Vigil 10:00am Holy Eucharist

4 Page 4 of 6 Deacon Ordination for Sharman Sharman Brown, Deacon candidate Bigfork Food Bank The Bigfork Food Bank is asking for sugar and cereal this month. New for the Church! St. Patrick s will be transitioning to a new address. We will start the process on March 15 and both s will be active until April 30. At that time, we will transition to the new address only. The new address will be episcopalchurch@stpatricksbigfork.org. If there are any questions or concerns about this change, please contact Karla Smolen at karla@smolen.me.

5 Page 5 of 6 Shrove Tuesday Meal As always, fellowship and food are a highlight at St. Patrick s! We celebrated the tradition of Lenten preparation by having a pancake dinner. Carol Ward, Jim and Louise Baker and Greg Thigpen were the chefs for this fun meal. Shrove Tuesday is a time of confession of one s sins and trying to get your heart and head ready prior to Easter. At the end of the dinner, Sharman gave a presentation to the group about the king cake and the significance of why this cake is tied to Lent. We cut the cake, and Carol Ward was the lucky recipient of the king, baby Jesus. Afterwards, a group gathered and burned the palm crosses from last year s Palm Sunday service, to produce the ashes for the Ash Wednesday service.

6 Page 56 of 56 Our Family Leadership Team: Rector Rev. Louise : Rev. Baker, Louise Pastor Baker Senior Linda Edwards, Warden: Sr. Dick Warden Carter Junior Doreen Warden: Thigpen, Doreen Jr. Warden Thigpen Jerry Southwood, Treasurer Treasurer: Carol Beyer, Jerry Asst. Southwood Treasurer Clerk Nancy of Fowler, Vestry: Clerk Fran Beyer Lin Michelle Sultzer, Patterson, Michelle Patterson Community Garden Deb Roundy, Pastor s St Secretary Patrick Episcopal Church Marlys Montana Anderson Hwy Hisaw, 209 Bigfork, Minister MT of Music Phone: St Patrick Episcopal Church (406) Montana 5249 Hwy 209 Bigfork, MT stpatricksepiscopcalchurch (406) New episcopalchurch@stpatrick sbigfork.org Website: ork.org Birthdays and Anniversaries February Birthdays Gene Gribbin 13 Ruth Scott 13 Caroline Scheper 14 Jonathon Detwiler 16 Quincy Paine 16 Jennifer Whitney 28 March Birthdays Tom LePage 1 Sue Ellison 2 Diana Blankenship 9 Dick Carter 10 Patty Blonda Saville 17 Bobbi Campbell 18 Lori Crum 24 Mike Ward 27 April Birthdays Karla Smolen 06 Brian Woods 09 Ellie Woods 09 Beverly Hermann 22 Faye Lomax 28 Happy Anniversary! February Jerry and Jean Southwood 10 March Richard and Susie Carter 08 Clive and Norma Oliver 26 April Buz and Carole Meyer 09 Heidi and Jerry Berendt 19 St Patrick Episcopal Church Montana Hwy 209 Bigfork, MT 59911