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Weekly Events Calendar
Wednesday, April 20
7 p.m. Stations of the Cross
Thursday, April 21
7 p.m. Maundy Thursday Liturgies
Friday, April 22
1 p.m. Good Friday service
Saturday, April 23
9 a.m. Stamp and Scrap
Sunday, April 24
7:30 am Eucharist
9 a.m. Eucharist
11 a.m. Eucharist
10:15 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt
Tuesday, April 26
6 p.m. Super Tuesday
Dinner, Classes
Upcoming Events
Spring Celebration Dinner
Tuesday, May 3
6 p.m.
Liturgical Ministry Celebration
Sunday, May 15
After 9 a.m. service
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Who's on this Sunday?
7:30 a.m.
Server: Roger Cornelius, Megan Siefert
Crucifier: TJ Ross
Lay Reader: Jack Manalli
Lector: Judy Bagley Servers: Brenda Torres, Cody Denneau Crucifer: Lindsey Seifert Torch Bearers: Kirsten Scheels, Collin Clope Banner Bearers: Peter Gosselin, Peter Monti Eucharistic Minister: Steve Marstellar Lector: Liz Ross Greeter: Refreshments: Rose Bratton, Carmen Church Coffee Set-up: Lynn Zobel Servers: Megan Siefert, Patrick Cornelius Crucifer: Lindsey Seifert Torch Bearers: Kirsten Scheels, Collin Clope Banner Bearers: Peter Gosselin Thurifer: Dave Siefert Boat: Roger Cornelius M.C. Kari Schatzman Eucharistic Minister: Lynn Zobel Lector: Neal Zobel
WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS |
Flowers
Do you have a special occasion coming up? Would you be willing to donate flowers to beautify our church for that occasion? The cost is only $40.
Please follow the PayPal link below, or you can drop a check in the collection plate on Sunday. Thank you.
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 Rector's Ramblings
Worship, Rocks and Invitations
This past Palm Sunday, I invited the members of St. Michael's to do something different during Holy Week in order to make it significant. We all have a choice as to how we will spend our time this week; it can be the "same old, same old," or we can choose to make time to enter into the mystery of Jesus sacrifice on the cross.
Let me suggest three ways you can make this week different and significant. First, make time to participate in the Holy Week liturgies. On Wednesday evening we will use the Stations of the Cross to recount Jesus' journey from the garden of Gethsemane to the cross. During the service a procession moves around the perimeter of the sanctuary stopping at crosses (stations), each depicting the suffering of Jesus. Lessons are read and prayers are said. The service lasts approximately 40 minutes but its impact is powerful.
Thursday evening at the Maundy Thursday Service we recall Jesus' last supper with his disciples where he institutes the sacrament of the Eucharist (Communion), gives instruction and models how we are to love each other. We follow Jesus example by washing each other's feet as a symbol of our willingness to serve each other as an act of love. Following communion we process the reserved sacrament to an Altar of Repose in the chapel that is decorated as a garden. We return from the Altar of Repose and strip the sanctuary and Altar of all its adornments. This dramatic action recalls to us the suffering that Jesus endured that night at the hands of the chief priests and elders. We leave the sanctuary in darkness and silence. We keep vigil all night long in the chapel as a reminder of the garden of Gethsemane and our call to be faithful.
On Good Friday we gather at the time when Jesus died and recall the wonder of the cross, an instrument of death which by the grace of God became for us a symbol of life and freedom. During the service we recite the solemn collects (prayers). A large wooden cross is processed down the center aisle of the sanctuary and is eventually install before the altar. People are invited to come forward to venerate the cross. Some do so by kneeling before it, while others will kiss the foot of the cross as a sign of thanksgiving, and others will lay stones at the foot of the cross. People have been invited to carry in their pocket during Holy Week a stone to remind them of the burden of their sins. It is on Good Friday that they can lay them at the foot of the cross as an acknowledgment and acceptance of Jesus sacrifice on the cross, which paid the cost for our sin and sets us free.
The second thing I would like to suggest is to find a rock that you can carry in your pocket. It should be large enough that you feel it as you walk and sit. Let it remind you of your need for forgiveness and God's grace. When you feel it rub against your leg, say this prayer: "Lord, thank you for your cross, Have mercy on me a sinner." By the end of the week, I believe God will speak to your heart and you will be ready to lay that burden down at the foot of the cross.
Finally, I invite you all to start praying for people in your life who you know are separated from God or struggle with their faith. Begin to pray for them by name. Pray God would soften their hearts and give them clarity and faith. Later this week reach out to them and invite them to Church on Easter morning (or if you feel called to, invite them to one of our Holy Week services, but most importantly Easter morning). People are dying for hope, forgiveness and life in this world. We have found those things through Jesus Christ and it is our responsibility to extend an invitation to those without faith, so that they would have another opportunity to know Jesus, love Jesus and serve Jesus. For me, I am praying for Dennis, Kathy, Roger and Don. Who are you praying for?
May God touch your heart during this Holy Week. May He awaken in you a burning desire for His presence in your life. May we open ourselves to Him more and more each day of this most Holy Week.
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Your children are invited to take part in St. Michael's 12th annual Easter Egg Hunt on the church grounds following the 9 a.m. service on Easter morning.
CANDY IS NEEDED!
For the past 11 years, the nursey has sponsored an egg hunt for children 12 and younger. Last year, 700 eggs were filled and hidden outside for hte children to find. The nursery is in desparate need of individually wrapped candy, stickers and Silly Bandz in order for this event to be a success. Please help by donating to this fun tradition. All items can be dropped off in the nursery by Thursday evening.
Egg cartons are also needed. Each child will be given an egg carton to take outside and fill with 12 eggs.
Thank you!
The Nursery
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Campaign Corner
The time has finally come to start St. Michael's 50th Anniversary Campaign! We hope you have learned a bit about each component of the campaign through these weekly Campaign Corner articles.
Now the real fun begins! Starting on Sunday, and continuing for the "50 days of Easter" (Yes, Fr. Terry tells me there really is such a thing) we will be raising funds for our 50th Anniversary Campaign and, at the same time, raising funds to send goats to needy families through the organization Oxfam International.
Our goal is to raise a total of $250,000 and, in the process, send 50 goats to be with good families. We have already raised just over $100,000, so we are well on our way. But, we need each member of the congregation to join us to truly make this a church-wide effort. Visit the church bulletin board to pick up detailed information and a pledge card, and to track our progress.
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Easter Flowers You can still make a donation for flowers to help beautify our church for Easter. Payment can be made through Paypal on the "Flowers" link on this page. Please make a note in the comments section indicating that your donation is for Easter flowers. Let us know if your flowers are being given in recognition of a special person or event. Please select from one of the following four choices: In Memory Of: _________________________________________ In Honor Of: ___________________________________________ In Celebration Of: _______________________________________ In Thanksgiving For: _____________________________________ This information can be e-mailed to info@stmichaelsracine.org. |
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Easter Sunday Child Care
The nursery will be staffed and accepting children 2 and younger during the 9 and 11:30 a.m. services.
The Lambs' Room will not be staffed. The room will be available for parents to use with their children.
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Spring Celebration Dinner
Our Winter/Spring Super Tuesday program is drawing near to the end! In honor of those who have walked this journey, we invite everyone to attend St. Michael's Spring Celebration Dinner at 6 p.m. on May 3.
Please RSVP by April 26 to Rose Adamski at rradamski@aol.com or (262) 637-7833.
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Celebration of Liturgical Ministries
We will be having a Liturgical Ministry Celebration after the 9 a.m. service on May 15. Come to celebrate all the ministries that support and enhance our Sunday services.
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Holy Week
Join us on Wednesday for Stations of the Cross. Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus. The tradition of observing the Stations began with St. Francis of Assisi. The object of the Stations is to help the faithful to make a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer, through meditating upon the chief scenes of Christ's sufferings and death.
Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great & HolyThursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the Gospels. At the last supper, he also washed his disciples' feet and told them to wash one another's feet. At the service, a sufficient number of hosts are consecrated for use also in the Good Friday service, and at the conclusion the Reserve Sacrament is carried in procession to the chapel to the altar of repose. The altar of the church (except the one used for altar of repose) is stripped bare and the crosses in the church are covered with purple cloth. A prayer vigil is kept all night until the Good Friday service. Maundy Thursday service is normally celebrated in the evening, when according to Jewish tradition Friday begins.
Good Friday is the day that Jesus was condemned and crucified. His body was taken down from the cross and laid in an empty tomb. The reserve sacrament is brought from the altar of repose and consumed entirely. This reminds us that Jesus died for us and was no longer present in the world.
Easter Sunday is the great feast day and culmination of not only Holy Week but the whole year. We celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord who is the true Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us, and has taken away the sin of the world. Easter Sunday is the main reason why Christians keep Sunday as the primary day of religious observance.
You are invited to join us for the many services of Holy Week:
Wednesday, April 20 Stations of the Cross 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 21 Maundy Thursday Liturgies 7 p.m.
Friday, April 22 Good Friday 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 24 Easter Sunday 7:30, 9, 11 a.m.
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