March 15, 2011
St. John’s Eagles and friends,
Welcome to Lent.
Before I get to the Wednesday (and rest of the week) schedule, let me say a couple of things.
I’m hoping you were instructed and challenged by Robert Sutton’s first homily on Sunday.
Robert will need your feedback, both positive and negative, in order for him to understand the impact of his address to you. If you feel uncomfortable doing that in conversation with him, you may provide me with your feedback and I will pass it on, when he and I sit down for our own review with the recording.
Thank you to everyone who stepped up to do the work of gathering and worshiping and leading worship on Sunday. I missed being here. By the way, the Episcopal parish I visited while away for my dad’s 80th birthday, which is not unfamiliar to me and includes parishioners that I have known for years, had one major flaw (at least) noticed when I even stepped inside the front doors to their narthex: Not one person welcomed me or introduced themself to me. I was flabbergasted. The church is about the size of 400 or so in membership, and probably 100 or so were at the main service. That is to say, there were plenty of people coming and going and talking and ushering and, yes, Looking, in the narthex, which is basically a wide lobby doubling as a passageway to both classrooms and the parish hall. And yet no personal contact. I am very grateful that in our parish a newcomer can’t get in or out without several of us making intentional contact. Now, I realize that that is something that needed to be fostered here, but I am glad all the same that we are doing it right by welcoming every poor soul who dares to attend a worship service at St. John’s. God bless the forerunner of gifted welcoming at St. John’s, Isabel Aguilar, may she rest in peace. May more of us take on the MINISTRY of welcoming and shepherding newcomers. Is that perhaps where the Glory of God might shine through you?? Ask the Lord that question during these 40 days (plus Sundays!).
WEDNESDAY
7:15am Morning Prayer (that would be a good discipline to take on, daily Morning Prayer at St John’s)
10:00 am Bible Study (we are currently working on the 6th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews – that would make a good Lenten discipline to join us for indepth bible study)
4:30 pm Catechism Class for 4th to 6th graders (but not this week – starts next week)
5:25 pm Stations of the Cross in the church (another powerful Lenten discipline)
6:00 pm Soup and Bread Supper (this week potato leek soup, Madison Rickert’s favorite, and yes, another great Lenten tradition and discipline), including:
6:35 pm SINGING with the RECTOR – if you play guitar bring it along
6:50 pm Intergenerational review of familiar bible stories using animated videos and short discussion.
7:45 pm Prayer and go home.
On Thursday, March 17, at 7:15am, there will be a Holy Communion service commemorating St. Patrick.
At 5:30 pm every Thursday is the Evening Prayers and Healing service. Come and recieve prayer for whatever ails you. The Lord is mighty to save.
On Saturday, March 19, at 3:30 pm will be a funeral service for Glen Burdick. Not many family members will be here — St. John’s is the local family. Hope you will attend.
And then at 6:00pm on Saturday is our annual St Patrick’s Potato dinner (and don’t worry, other things to eat too) and Bunco Game! Proceeds will go toward an educational project in “The Episcopal Church in the Sudan”.
Fr. Rob Eaton
