Feb/March 2008- Season of Lent
What Should I Give-Up for Lent?
This is perhaps the most common question asked by people this
time of year…. My response
would be, “Don’t give-up anything, unless it is a bad habit
that interferes with your self-esteem and/or communion with God.”
Instead I suggest Taking on a discipline that would deepen your walk with God.
Last year for Lent I took on the discipline of reading the scriptures
assigned in the Daily Offices. I
was truly impressed with the impact that had on my spiritual journey!
You can find the
current Lenten lessons on page 953 of the Book of Common Prayer (we are in
year 2), or perhaps even better you can find them in the booklet “Forward
Day by Day” (available in the Church).
For your convenience those for Feb/Mar will also be at the end of
this bulletin to help get you started.
I
commend to you to start your day with the reading of the
scripture assigned for the day and then to look at the brief commentary in
Forward Day by Day. If early
mornings are not your best time, perhaps at noontime during a relaxing
lunch or perhaps in the quiet (?) of the evening would be better for you.
The MAIN THING is that you do
the readings and take some time to think/meditate on them.
Perhaps it should not
have been a surprise, but I have
been pleased that since I began this purposeful routine last year that I
look forward to the quiet time of reading and meditating on scripture- the
most beneficial 20 minutes of my day.
It helps me to remember that GOD
is the centerpiece of our soul’s altar, the focal point of what
is important in this life- and not what the advertising agencies would
like to foster on us. So I
urge each and every member of
St. Martin
’s this year to TAKE ON a discipline that can enrich your Christian experience.
I suggest you consider the reading of the Daily
Office scripture as a method of reading the word of God to His people.
You may feel the need to
‘take on’ a project helping others, or to do some other form of
Christian charity- but DO SOMETHING which
will bring your life more in conformity with what we are called upon to be-
His faithful servants in this world. Steeping
oneself in scripture is important… for we are a people of ‘the
Book’. Helping others is
also important… for we are called upon to ‘love our neighbors as
ourselves’ and to help those less fortunate than ourselves.
WHATEVER it is this Lenten season that you either give-up (bad
habit) or take-on: make this Lenten Season one that brings you closer to
the Lord our God and helps to shape us into the person He intends us to
be. Then we will
be able to appreciate the benefits of self-discipline and denial and
living a more God-centered life. May
this Lenten Season bring each of us closer to God and to each other.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen
and Amen
What’s
Happening at
Saint Martin
’s?
There
are a number of important dates in the near future- Lent is here and our
Church’s schedule for the Lenten Season is well underway!
Thanks to all who helped make our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper a
Great Success! We served
over 30 people who shared fellowship with us J (and broke
even in expenses J).
Wednesday Evening Lenten Program:
Every Wednesday in Lent, starting at 6 PM 13 Feb, we
will have a small meal (usually soup and bread) followed by a play based
on scripture and a brief discussion. Folks
are usually headed home between 7-7:30 PM. Come
Join Us- bring a friend!
Holy
Week
begins on Palm Sunday (March 16) service.
Weather permitting we will again have an outside procession.
Maundy Thursday service is at 6 PM with Holy
Communion and, for those who wish to participate, foot washing in
remembrance of Jesus’ washing the feet of the disciples.
Good Friday we will celebrate Stations of the Cross
and will be held at 6 PM. Holy
Week will culminate with a joyous celebration of EASTER
(March 23) at our 11 AM service, followed by an Easter egg hunt for our
youngsters (Rem: eggs symbolize ‘new
life’ in the world).
Mark your calendars!! Sunday
February 17th will be a SPECIAL CELEBRATION:
1st= the 25th ANNIVERSARY of St Martin’s
Church in
Copperas Cove
;
2nd= Visiting Seminarian from Episcopal Theological Seminary of the
Southwest (ETSS) in
Austin
.
3rd= Pot Luck.
We will
also report any dramatic events which may have occurred at Diocesan
Council 15-16 Feb.
Anyone interested in being confirmed into the Episcopal Church contact the Vicar-
Confirmation classes will be scheduled appropriately.
? What
Readings
are coming up? Try
reading them before church & ask what do they tell me?
10
February: OT
Gen 2:15-17, 3:1-7 Ps
32
NT Rom 5:12-19
Gospel:
Matt 4: 1-11
______________________________________________________________________________
17 Feb
OT Gen
12:1-4a
Ps 121
NT Rom 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17
______________________________________________________________
24 Feb
OT Ex 17:1-7 Ps 95
NT Rom 5:1-11
John 4:5-42
2 Mar
OT 1 Sam 16:1-13
Ps
23 NT
Eph 5:8-14
John 9:1-41
9
Mar
OT
Ezek 37:1-14
Ps 130
NT Rom 8:6-11
John 11:1-45
________________________________________________________________________
16Mar
OT Isaiah 50:4-9a
Ps
31:9-16 NT-
Phil 2:5-11
Matt 26:14-27:66
** Palm
Sunday**
20 Mar (Th) OT Ex
12:1-14 Ps116:1,10-17
NT 1 Cor11:23-26
John 13:21-32
21 Mar(Fri) OT Is
52:13-53:12 Ps
22
NT Heb 10:16-25
John 18:1-19:42
________________________________________________________________________
23 March
OT Acts 10:34-43
Ps 118:1-2,14-24
NT
Col
3:1-4
John 20:1-18
**Easter**
Feast
Friends
will Re-start after Easter- Inasmuch as Lent is generally a period of
penitence and fasting, we will restart the 2008 Feast Friends on Saturday,
March 29th.
Subsequent dates will be May 10th,
Sept 6th, and Nov 1st.
For those unfamiliar with ‘feast friends’, it is a casual time
of fellowship with other members of the church over the setting of a
supper meal. The host usually
provides the meat dish and others (arranged by the host) bring other
dishes to make a complete meal. IT’S
FUN (and the food is GREAT!).
Thanks for Mike Kersey coordinating the events!
WANT TO READ THE DAILY LESSONS
BUT DON’T HAVE A PRAYER BOOK AT HOME?-
If so, Take one of the Forward
Day By Day booklets in the Church OR
look at p. 953 in Book of Common Prayer (BCP) OR see the last page of this
newsletter for those in February and 1st week in March.
________________________________________________________________________
Q: WHERE DO WE
GET the word ‘Lent’ from? What
does it mean?
Ans: “The
name of the season we now know as ‘Lent’ comes from an Old English
word meaning “spring,” the time of lengthening days.
Originally, in places where the Paschal Feast was celebrated on a
Sunday, the day was preceded by a fast of up to 2 days.
In the third century this fast was lengthened to six days.
Eventually this fast became attached to, or overlapped, another
fast of 40 days, in imitation of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness.
The forty-day fast was especially important for converts to the
faith who were preparing for baptism and for those guilty of notorious
sins who were being restored to the Christian assembly.
In the Western church the forty days of Lent extend from Ash
Wednesday through Holy Saturday, omitting Sundays.
The last 3 days of Lent are the sacred Triduum of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
Today Lent has reacquired its significance as the final preparation
of adult candidates for baptism. Joining
with them, all Christians are invited “to the observance of a holy Lent,
by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial;
and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word (BCP p. 265).”
Source: The
Episcopal Dictionary of the Church> A User Friendly reference for
Episcopalians
_______________________________________________________________________
Birthdays: Happy
Birthday to those individuals Celebrating their Birth in Feb/Mar:
February:
6- Diane B; 11 Meagan C; 17 Evi E; 27 Ingrid H
_______________________________________________________________________
March:
20 Jessica K; 23
Michael K
_______________________________________________________________________
Prayer:
“Thanks for Another Day”
Thank you dear God for another day, for the chance to live in a decent
way;
To know again the joy of living, and the happiness that comes from
giving;
Thank you for friends who understand, & the peace that flows from
your loving hand;
Help me to greet the rising sun with the
prayer, “today Your will be done”;
Knowing that with your help I will find my way,
THANK YOU AGAIN, DEAR LORD, FOR ANOTHER DAY.
That’s all for this edition of the
St Martin
’s Newsletter J
Have a Spirit filled day J
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