St.Patrick Newsletter March events in our church s life: - St. Patrick s Day Celebration - Continuing to Observe Lent - Community Garden Seminar Breaking Bread He is Risen March 2016 Edition Highlights: St. Patrick s Celebration p. 2 Lenten outreach mission p. 4 Bigfork / Community p. 4 Garden Update Upcoming Events : p. 5 HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE Birthdays/Anniversaries p. 6 Affirm Films (Sony Pictures) has given the Church a tremendous gift as we enter Holy Week and Eastertide. Risen brings to life, not just Jesus, but his community of disciples following the resurrection. The birth of Christianity is portrayed in a way that is credible and alive right up to this moment. Hollywood gets Jesus right this time through the eyes of actor Joseph Fiennes Clavius. This Jesus is not a character that preaches at but draws people into the mystery and power of the His story. Clavius reminds me of Nicodemus. Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, he seeks Jesus out, yet is not yet ready to embrace the truth he experiences (John 3). We are surprised to discover Nicodemus along with the fictional Clavius at the cross as Jesus dies (John 19). Something has happened in Nicodemus life and he against all odds has become a follower. What is ahead for the Roman tribune? Three days after Jesus body is buried things start to unravel at Pontius Pilate s headquarters (Matthew 28). The Roman political and military machine has failed miserably. A body is missing from Joseph of Arimathea s tomb. Based on rumors that Jesus is still alive and the reports of his own guards, Pontius Pilate orders his high ranking Roman tribune to find Jesus body. It is a captivating detective story. Like NCIS Agent Gibbs, Clavius leaves no stone unturned to find Jesus and put the rumors to rest. As you and I know, anyone who sincerely seeks Jesus discovers more than he or she could ever imagine!
Page 2 of 6 What is compelling about the movie is that it engages the narrative of Jesus after Resurrection up through Ascension while remaining faithful to scripture. The witness and the testimony of believers is substantiated by an unbeliever s experience of the risen Christ. The tale does not fail to move disciples today to have courage and boldness to tell the story of Jesus from their own experience and the biblical witness off Jesus disciples.. Don t forget to bring a bell to ring in the Easter season on March 27! Whether or not you see the movie, I invite each of you to focus upon the post-easter story during the Great Fifty Days of Easter. You too have a witness to share with those seeking the risen Christ. It turns out he is not missing after all! Joyfully join me in proclaiming on Easter morning and into the future, Alleluia, Christ is Risen! Louise+ 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 chose to honor his life on March 13, in conjunction with our normal Sunday worship service. St. Patrick went to seminary in France and became a priest, then returned to Ireland. Notably, he was the first bishop of Armagh, primate of Ireland. In his autobiography, he states that he baptized thousands. He also started many monasteries and helped spread Christianity across Ireland.
Page 3 of 6 St. Patrick s Day Celebration
Page 4 of 6 Lenten Outreach Mission Don t forget to continue celebrating Lent with daily devotionals and remembering the Episcopal Relief and Development Hope Chest. Special offering specific to the Hope Chest will be collected on April 3, the first Sunday after Lent. Community Garden Exciting things are happening at the Bigfork / Ferndale Community Garden! Bigfork/Ferndale Community Garden held a workshop with guest speaker Bill Clanton on Saturday, March 12 at 10 AM. A long time farmer and owner of Fresh Farms, Bill discussed seed selection, soil prep, weeds and frost protection. Deer control, gophers, voles and other pests control rounded out our workshop on growing a successful garden. Applications for gardeners who wish to purchase a plot for the upcoming gardening season were also accepted at that time. R The First Annual Free the Seeds! Seed and Start Fair is just a few weeks away! The event will be chock full of cool info, offered through 30 booths, 18 workshops, 2 films, 2 roundtable discussions and kids activities, in addition to the seed swap. There s a lot of enthusiasm and momentum (close to 300 already have said they are attending), and the Bigfork / Ferndale community garden is glad to be a part of this event. It will be held at the Flathead Valley Community College, Arts and Technology Bldg (777) on Grandview Drive in Kalispell. This event is on Saturday March 19, 10am 1pm. Event Schedule: www.freetheseedsmt.com facebook.com/free the Seeds Kalispell Questions: info@freetheseedsmt.com 406 471 0022
Page 5 of 6 Upcoming Events: HOLY WEEK Easter is coming! March 20 (10am) Palm Sunday (Sunday of the Passion) March 24 (5pm) - Maundy Thursday Agape Meal (6:30pm) Holy Eucharist and Foot Washing with Stripping of the Altar March 25 (11:30am) Good Friday service (12:00pm) Stations of the Cross, Good Friday Liturgy March 25 (3:30pm) - Good Friday Community Service Bigfork Chapel March 26 (11am) - Holy Saturday - Liturgy of Word and Prayer March 27 (10am) - Easter Service * *denotes that the congregants are encouraged to bring bells to ring in the Easter celebration Sanctuary Upgrades As most of you know, we have been experiencing issues with the kitchen outlets. To ensure that we would be able to hold our St. Patrick luncheon celebration without any interruption, it was decided to go ahead and make necessary changes for that day. Work was completed downstairs and in the Rector s Study on March 16. Thanks go out to Doreen Thigpen for coordinating these changes. The upper floor is scheduled to be fixed in mid-april to get the whole sanctuary in better working condition before the summer.
Page 56 of 56 Our Leadership Team Our Rector Family : Rev. Louise Baker Rector Senior Warden: : Rev. Louise Dick Baker Carter Senior Junior Warden: Doreen Dick Carter Junior Thigpen Warden: Doreen Thigpen Treasurer: Jerry Southwood Treasurer: Clerk of Vestry: Jerry Fran Southwood Beyer Clerk Secretary of Vestry: to Vestry: Fran Karla Beyer Lin Smolen, Sultzer, Michelle Patterson Lin Sultzer, Michelle Patterson, Linda Edwards St Minister Patrick of Episcopal Music: Marlys Church 30631 Anderson Montana - Hisaw Hwy 209 Bigfork, MT 59911 St Patrick Episcopal Church Phone: 30631 Montana Hwy 209 (406) Bigfork, 837 MT 5249 59911 E-Mail: Phone: stpatricksepiscopcalchurch (406) 837 5249 @montanasky.com E-Mail: stpatricksepiscopcalchurch @montanasky.com Website: http://www.stpatricksbigfor k.org. Birthdays and Anniversaries Happy Birthday! March Sue Ellison 2 Dick Greenshields 2 Tom Waggoner 6 Diane Blankenship 9 Patty Blonda Saville 17 Bobbi Campbell 18 Marilyn Waggoner 26 Mike Ward 27 April Karla Smolen 6 Beverly Hermann 22 Faye Lomax 28 Blessed Anniversary! March Richard and Susie Carter 10 Gary and Cathy Walston 13 Clive and Norma Oliver 26 April Buz and Carole Meyer 9 St Patrick Episcopal Church 30631 Montana Hwy 209 Bigfork, MT 59911