The Online Lion from St. Mark's for April 17, 2011, Palm Sunday

St. Mark's Episcopal Church April 17, 2011

New Canaan, CT Palm Sunday

Saturday Reminders

Joseph Sweet memorial service at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel

Saturday White Elephant Movers:

April 16 & 23 - From 8AM-12PM (or as much as you can help!) Meet by the Church House. Men, women, teens! Trucks are welcome too!

We welcome you and your family to St. Mark's

If you are seeking a church home, we would be honored to have you as a member of our parish family. Please speak to one of the clergy, or be in touch with us during the week to find out more about us (contact information below).

This Sunday's schedule:
   8:00 a.m.     Holy Eucharist Rite I - chapel
   9:00 a.m.     Year of the Story
   9:50 a.m. Church School (PK3-5th in library)

10:00 a.m. Palm Procession in Church

10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II with the Reading of the Passion

11:15 a.m. Navigating Later Years with Grace

11:30 a.m. Jr. High Youth Group and Confirmation

4:00 p.m. Sr. High Youth Group
5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II

Nursery care is available for children under 3-years old from 9:00-11:45am in the nursery wing.

If you are interested in joining or finding out more about St. Mark's, please contact us or call the
church office: 203.966.4515. Visit our website to learn more: www.stmarksnewcanaan.org. Click here to read/hear recent sermons and for the current newsletter, The Lion's Roar If you have a pastoral concern, please contact Mother Anne Richards or Father Peter Walsh.

Holy Week schedule with the daily readings.

Sunday at St. Mark's

The Year of the Story continues Sunday in Morrill Hall from 9:00-9:45am as we take a year-long mountain-top tour of the Bible! Each Sunday we discuss a major Bible story, beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation.On Sunday, Joshua A. Hill discusses Holy Week. Click here for the syllabus.

Holy Week at St. Mark's has worship services each day. We also invite you to experience the Holy Week journey through our website where the daily readings can be found. Please click here for the Holy Week schedule and the daily readings.

The Lion's Den is ready for Easter with a delightful display of gifts, books and music. Lovely gifts for members of your family, hostess gifts for Easter visits, and always a favorite - "Bless You!" tissues...only at The Den. The Lion's Den will be open after each of the Sunday morning Easter services for any last minute gifts.

Please keep the following people in your prayers: Tyler Everett Austin, Capt. Samuel Booth, Patty Bozzella, Loretta Chappell, Matthew Evans, Eugene Foley, Joanie Johnson, The Loonie Family, Lynn, Laura Minchella, Romana Quiñones, Clara Recchia, Ruthann Saphier, Alex Stolar, Tommy, Norman Toy, and Zenia. We pray for the people of Japan, Libya and the Middle East. We rejoice with Amy Buck (B.L. Buck's daughter) and Peter Johnson on their wedding this Saturday.

Pal

m Sunday

Our palm procession takes place in the church this Sunday at the 10:00 service. All children should meet their teachers under the arcade to receive their palms line up for the procession before going to church school.

A dramatic reading of the Passion According to Matthew takes place at the 10:00 service.

Events & Announcements

Easter Morning Coffee Hour is a huge festive gathering. We have a team of 6 SuperWomen coordinating this year's coffee hours (one after each service): Betsey Hedges, Susan Lovejoy, Melissa Engelsen, Lynn Donahue, Meredith Landis, and Catherine Sturgess. If you can help, please contact Catherine at 203.966.2747 or sturgess2268@gmail.com

Easter Flowers and Music

add beauty to our most glorious day of the year. Gifts in memory or thanksgiving for loved ones can be made by contacting Thea(tmcgee@stmarksnewcanaan.org

or 966-4515) in our parish office. Dedications must be made by April 18 for inclusion in the Easter bulletins.

Maundy Thursday Vigil

on April 1-2, 9pm Thursday-11:45 a.m. Friday. Sign up for one hour to fulfill the promise to stay awake with our Lord; the sign-up sheets are in the narthex and outside Morrill Hall. Please contact the church office to indicate your hour. 203.966.4515.

Pysanky Easter Egg Making Workshop

on Maundy Thursday, April 21, 9:15-noon in the Undercroft. Learn the meditative and ancient art of "Pysanky" - create your own ornamental Ukrainian Easter Egg. Nadia Cwiach, our financial secretary leads a hands-on class. Space is limited to 14 so please reserve a spot now (participants must be 14 years and older). A fee ($25) covers the cost of supplies and a donation to the Ukrainian National Women's League of America. Contact the church office: 203.966.4515x111 /

tmcgee@stmarksnewcanaan.org

Learn more on the website: www.stmarksnewcanaan.org/pysanky.asp

Baptism

will be offered at the Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 23 at 8:00pm. Please contact Mother Anne if you have an infant (or an adult) to be baptized. The next two baptism dates are Pentecost (Sunday, June 12, at the 10am service); and All Saints Day (Sunday, November 6 at the 10am service).

Confirmation for Adults

will be offered on Saturday, May 21 at 10:30am at St. Mark's. The Bishop will be here to confirm our youth, and any adult who has not yet been confirmed in the Episcopal Church is welcome to be confirmed (or, in the case of confirmed Roman Catholics, to be "received" into the Episcopal Church). Contact Mother Anne if you would like to discuss this.

Thank You to all those who have already committed to the 2012 Annual Campaign.

To date over 313 pledges have been made totaling $1,300,113. If you haven't already done so, please submit your pledge card asap.

Click to Pledge/Click to Pay

The Food Pantry

is running low on supplies while the demands are increasing. Please help us restock our shelves with the items listed below. Donations should be brought to the Undercroft, down the ramp by the lower parking lot; food can be put on tables along far left wall of room. Financial gifts should be made to Human Services of New Canaan with Food Pantry in the memo line.

Large bags of snacks (nacho chips, pretzel)

White or Brown Rice

Herbal/decaf tea

Instant Decaf Coffee

Canned Fruit (low/no sugar)

Children and Family Ministries Registration

In the Episcopal Church, all baptized children are invited to receive

the bread and wine of Holy Communion.

Nursery Care is available every Sunday in the education wing from 8:45-11:45am for children up to 36 months.

Church School begins at 9:50, and children rejoin their families for Holy Communion at The Peace. If you have questions about Children's programs, contact Joshua A. Hill, Director of Children's and Youth Ministries.

Sunday in Children's Ministries

Godly Play (PK3-2nd): "Jesus' Last Passover"

Weaving God's Promises (3-5th): "Jesus Enters Jerusalem"

Youth Ministries Registration

Sunday in Youth Ministries:

Jr. High (6-7th)

Total Chaos in the Name of the Lord Amen will meet in the undercroft at 11:30 and. All 6th and 7th graders are welcome. Sunday: "Stations of the Cross for Teens"

Confirmation (8th &up)

Meets in the library after church until 1pm for "Stations of the Cross for Teens."

Sr. High (9-12th)

Our 6-week Maranatha House Church movie series concludes this week with Mean Girls and cupcakes. We meet at 5pm for church and will walk to Josh's house for dinner and a movie. Back to church by 8:30pm.

St. Mark's Episcopal Youth Community

Adult Education & Worship

Poetry Group....It's that time of year again. April is National Poetry Month and Mother Anne will convene an informal gathering of people who love poetry or who are curious about it. We will meet every Thursday in April from 4-5pm in the Library. Bring a favorite poem.

New Monday Class continues...Along with Mother Anne, we are reading David C. Olsen's book, "The Spiritual Work of Marriage." All are welcome (married, formerly married, never married) - men and women, young, old, and in between. Copies of the book are in the Lions' Den at a 30% discount. There is no class on April 18 due to Holy Week. Please read chapter 4 for April 25: "The Sins of the Fathers and the Longing for Redemption." This class will run through May 23. Mondays in the library, 9:15-10:30am. Childcare provided.

Wednesday Morning Bible Study with Bishop Grein does not meet this week due to Holy Week. The class is based on the weekly Sunday readings. Come when you can, the classes don't build on eachother. It is helpful to read the selections ahead of time; readings can be found starting on page 892 of the Book of Common Prayer or on the Episcopal Lectionary Website. All are welcome.

Meditation Group meets Thursday mornings from 9-9:30am in the Parlor in the Parish House. All levels of experience are welcome.

Bible Marathon Continues! Here is an opportunity to read through the Bible cover to cover (that's right, every word) in six months (October-April). Mother Anne holds a time for discussion twice a month on Thursdays. Next discussion group is this Thursday, April 28 from 10-11am in the Education Center. Read the gospel of John for this class. The reading schedule may be found online: www.stmarksnewcanaan.org/adulteducation.asp

May Fair

Saturday White Elephant Movers:

April 16 & 23 - From 8AM-12PM (or as much as you can help!) Meet by the Church House

May Fair Kick-Off Dinner Friday April 29 at 6:30-8:30

Celebrate the 62nd year of May Fair with a fun get together, and great food. Admission is $10/adults, $5/children, $30 max per family. If you would like to help with this, contact Emily Restifo at erestifo@optonline.net or David Kalal at dkalal@optonline.net.

We will have an "open mic" at this dinner! Anyone - adult, teen, or child - who would like to offer a song, a joke, a poem, or play an instrument should contact Josh Hill ASAP to get into the line-up.

Calling All White Elephants!

All sales proceeds benefit non-profit organizations

All donations are tax-deductible

Donate Your Treasures! We need quality items that sell!

Toys Baby Equipment Flat screen TVs Baskets

Bicycles Books/Audio Books Fireplace Tools Linens

China Furniture & Rugs Kitchenware Games

Lamps Holiday Items Jewelry Outdoor Furniture

Crystal Electronics CDs/DVDs/Videos Collectibles

Silver Small Appliances Sports Equipment Strollers

Artwork Arts & Crafts Video Games Gift Items

We cannot accept clothing, mattresses, knives, old cribs or car seats, building materials, suitcases, file cabinets, thermoses, refrigerators, obsolete printers or computer monitors. Thank you for bringing in clean items that will sell!

If you cannot hold your donations until late April or you have special, high value items - please call the church office at 203-966-4515.

Photo Gallery

*Joan Chittister Talk