I Needed Holy Week. During the veneration of the cross you came forward to either kiss or hold the cross.

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1 St. Agnes Episcopal Church 65 Union Avenue Little Falls, NJ May Newsletter I Needed Holy Week My position at St. Agnes causes me to spend much time taking care of details. Is the Sunday bulletin correct and complete, is the Altar Guild prepared for each service and different types of services, are the lay readers present for the service, choosing hymns for services, are there pastoral calls and visits to be made, is the monthly newsletter ready, vestry agendas and minutes, etc. Details and more details. I must be very careful that taking care of details does not use all of me and my attention to my spiritual life. That is why I love to preach for it gives me time to reflect on scripture and what is currently going on in the world and in the life of our congregation. Preaching allows me to spiritually express myself. Sometimes I am concerned about how all of you take the time to spiritually express yourselves. Holy Week gave me some answers. My Maundy Thursday message was on Jesus commandment to love one another and you received the Body and Blood of Christ and you shared in the stripping of the altar and taking every single item out of the sanctuary to prepare for Good Friday. On Good Friday at noon you walked the fourteen Stations of the Cross and took the journey of the cross with Jesus. During our Good Friday evening service Rev. Liz reminded us of how Jesus loves us and gave us assurance for forgiveness of our sins. During the veneration of the cross you came forward to either kiss or hold the cross. Saturday the Altar Guild joyfully decorated the church for Easter as our Food Pantry Manager and volunteers provided food for the hungry. Easter was the Day of Resurrection when we all came to celebrate our Risen Lord. Laughing children searched for eggs on our front lawn after the Service. Thank you for sharing our Holy Week and waiting for Easter with me; I needed it. Faithfully, The Rev. Deacon Deborah

2 The LisTening excursion of st. Agnes St. Agnes' community has joined the Diocesan Listening Excursion. We are intentionally listening to what God is up to in our lives, in our congregation and in our neighborhoods. Come join us as we Dwell in the Word, conduct interviews and walk our neighborhoods. We have started Dwelling in the Word at vestry meetings and after coffee hour on Sundays. Deacon Deborah used Dwelling in the Word during sermon time and Dwelling will also be used during our lay led Morning Prayer Service on April 30th. The Listening Excursion Team members, Amy Allen, Nancy MacDonald, Deacon Deborah and Michelle Borden are inviting you to sit with them for an interview regarding your life at St. Agnes. We want to hear your stories about the past and present to help discern where God is calling us in the future. Seventeen congregations across our Diocese are taking this journey. Please contact Michelle Borden should you have any questions. Dwelling in the Word: Join us in the sanctuary at 11:40 on Sundays for Dwelling in the Word. We will use Luke 10:1-12 as our scripture each week. The scripture is read and we see what words or phrases are getting our attention. We discuss how the words and phrases have meaning on this particular day and where God may be nudging you. This is not a Bible study so there are no wrong answers. Come with us as we discover what God is up to in our lives and community.

3 Ascension Day is one of the earliest Christian festivals dating back to the year 68 CE. According to the New Testament in the Bible, Jesus Christ met several times with his disciples during the 40 days after his resurrection to instruct them on how to carry out his teachings. It is believed that on the 40th day he took them to the Mount of Olives, where they watched as he ascended to heaven. Ascension Day occurs ten days before Pentecost and it always falls on a Thursday. However, some churches, particularly in the United States, celebrate it on the following Sunday. Many Eastern Orthodox churches calculate the date of Pascha (Easter) according to the Julian calendar, rather than the Gregorian calendar used by many western churches, so their Ascension Day usually occurs after the western observance. Remember to wear red For Christians, the Day of Pentecost takes place fifty days after Jesus' resurrection and ten days after Jesus' ascension into heaven. The coming of the Holy Spirit marks the fulfillment of Jesus' post-resurrection promise when he told his disciples: Don't leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do... the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world. (Acts 1:4, 8, CEV) On the Day of Pentecost, the Church celebrates the fulfillment of Jesus' pre-resurrection promise that the disciples would not be left alone. Thus the Church celebrates its "birthday" and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The liturgical color for the day is red. We will have our Who is Wearing The Most Red Contest and the winner will receive a $25 gift certificate. Everyone is invited to bring a red dessert for coffee hour. Prayer Requests Brittany Holocher, Doris Crawford McKelvey, Martha Johnson, Marie Patterson, Harold (Chip) Smith, Andrea Dransfield, Bernadette Majorsy, Kim Hartmann, The Englehardt Family, Allan James, Rosalina Rivera, John Turkousky, Kelly Diandone, Nick Sauter, LeRoy Ronan, Charlene Vine and Basis Merritt.

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5 Dates for Table to Table Food Truck Delivery Help us to unload the rescued food from the Table To Table truck to be used at our Food Pantry on Saturdays. Please arrive at 11:30 AM to help unload. Friday, May 5th & Friday, May 19th Please volunteer at The Food Pantry. Volunteers needed for greeting, registration, food bin management, etc. Please arrive at 8:30 AM. Saturday, May 6th & Saturday, May 20th And Food Drive The Food Pantry at St. Agnes was awarded $1,000 from UNICO. We thank UNICO and representative Ronnie Corrado for helping with the grant application. UNICO Food Drive April 22nd Thanks to St. Michael s in Wayne for collecting and bringing over food and coats for The Food Pantry. Also great to have volunteers from St. Michael s helping at The Food Pantry.

6 11 Things You Can t Buy With Food Stamps Toilet paper. Nope. In fact, no paper products at all. No paper towels, no tissues, no napkins, no nothing. Though you can possibly use rags in lieu of paper towels, you have to wash them. Same with handkerchiefs and cloth napkins. Laundry detergent. Again, this is not food. But buying detergent isn t cheap. But how do you live without laundry detergent? Toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss. Don t tell your dentist that dental floss is a luxury item, but the fact is that people without dental insurance are often the ones least likely to be able to afford these items. People won t replace a toothbrush until they can find a freebie, because money is that tight. Toothpaste is another challenge. Dental health is critical to our well-being. Soap. How do you survive without soap? But how do you function, must less flourish, without access to soap? Diapers. Even under the best conditions, cloth diapers are expensive and time-consuming. And most daycares will not use them, so that s not a viable alternative for most families. Tampons and pads. This one often shocks people, especially women Deodorant. Luxury? Ask the person who works next to someone who doesn t use deodorant because they cannot afford it. Hair-care products. To function and flourish in our society, you need to have clean and wellmaintained hair. It doesn t have to be styled or kept in a certain way that makes other people feel comfortable; I m just talking about each person having access to the fundamental tools they need to maintain their hair in the way that they desire in order to function in society, like shampoo and conditioner. Cleaning products. You can t buy these items with food stamps. But no matter where you live, you need some variation on these products. Yes, you can use rags, but there are some things that really require a sponge, or a mop, not to mention replacement mop heads. Lotion, powder, sunscreen, lip balm, etc. These might be considered luxuries. But what if you work outside all day? Then sunscreen isn t so much a luxury as a health necessity. Foot powder can extend the life of your shoes and socks in addition to keeping your feet healthy. What about a jar of petroleum jelly to protect your lips and other spots? Rough, chapped hands can make it really hard to work with your hands all day. Pet Food: Where are you supposed to get food for your pets? Pet food is not considered food, tell that to your dog or cat.

7 11th Jackie Remy 20th Joe VanDyk 16th Joseph Keating 24th Mat Picazio 19th Nick Sauter Calendar of Events May 5th Table to Table, 11:30am 6th Food Pantry, 9-11:30am Party/Hall, 5-10pm 7th Sunday Service and Baptism, 10am 13th 16th 19th 20th 21st 26th Party/Hall, 5-10pm Vestry Meeting, 7:15pm Table to Table, 11:30am Food Pantry, 9-11:30am Party/Hall, 3-8pm Diocese/Going Local Gathering/Hall, 1-4pm Metro RR Meeting, 7-9pm