St. George's By The River Episcopal Church Newsletter
Lent
March 2014
In This Issue
Thank You!
Mental Health Matters
Practical Meditation
Thank You! 
  
On behalf of all of our REACH bound youth and adults thank you all for supporting us. Thank you to the congregation who came and shared a wonderful meal with each other and the Youth Group. Thank you to the parents who provided entrees, salad and dessert and helped with setup and clean up. A big thank you goes out to all of the young people who helped with every part of the day, and made our IHOW a success! 
Mental Health Matters
clasped-hands-sky.jpg
Please join us on Monday, March 31st at 7:00pm for the next gathering of our mental health support group. Although we agreed to meet the 2nd Monday of each month, we have the opportunity to possibly have a guest speaker on 3/31.  
THIS SUNDAY: Solemn Communion Class and Naming Ceremony
This Sunday, March 9th begins our classes for Solemn Communion at 9:15am, meet in Fr. Jeff's office. (Remember daylight savings time!) During the 10:00am Mass we will have the Naming Ceremony for the children. 
Jr. High Youth Group:Bowling!
On Sunday March 30th, we will meet at Brunswick Lanes on Rte 36 in Hazlet at 4pm.  $10 per person.  Shoes, pizza and soda included.  Please RSVP to Brenda.  All 6th, 7th and 8th graders are welcome to attend.


Senior High Youth Group
We will meet tomorrow night, Wednesday March 5th at 6pm in Ralph Hall.  We will have a light dinner and then together, attend Ash Wednesday Service at 7:30pm.
 
Check out our website!
Ash Wednesday
Liturgies (Services):
Holy Eucharist
 with the Imposition of Ashes
at:
7:00AM
4:00PM: especially suitable for families
7:30PM: with Choir



Click here for all of St. George's Lenten Offerings and opportunities!
praying hands

Evening Prayer
 (beginning  
this Thursday, March 6th)  
Monday - Saturday 6:00pm  
in the choir stalls. 
Please join us! 
 This Saturday, (Mar. 8th):
Please join us for a Practical Meditation workshop on Saturday, March 8 from 10 am-12pm in the pine room  with Kristin Gould, certified yoga and meditation instructor.
Meditation is an important path on the journey toward inner peace and happiness.  Everyone can (and should) practice it.  This workshop will encompass a discussion on the purpose of meditation - including the practical steps to establish an "at home" practice.  There will be a guided  and direct meditation experience which will relax the nervous system, the physical body, and provide cessation of mind fluctuation.  No prior experience necessary.  Dress comfortably and warm.  There will be no physical yoga practice.  This workshop is FREE and open to all ages from 16 to 106.
The Story
We would like to invite everyone to join us in the reading of The Story. Or if you have been following along at home we invite you to join us on Friday mornings at 9:00am or Sunday's after the 10:00 service for spirited discussion of the materials. 
We are about to begin chapter  22, which is the birth of Jesus and the start of the New Testament.  I can think of no better Lenten discipline than to spend time reading and contemplating scripture and God's story. 
There are additional copies of The Story available in the narthex, along with our other Lenten devotional materials. Register here if you are interested in receiving weekly Story emails.
The Girls Friendly Society
The next meeting of the Girls Friendly Society will be on Sunday, March 16th in the Pine Room. We will meet from 11:15pm - 12:15pm and lunch will be served.

 

Our theme for this session will be Restraint and Self-Discipline and we will be participating in our very own St. George's Great GFS Lenten Challenge! 

 

During the week beginning Wednesday, March 5th - Wednesday, March 12th the girls will be asked to sacrifice (or limit the use of) something they are very attached to such as electronics, a type of food, texting, etc. and report back to the group on their successes, feelings, and thoughts about the challenges they faced. 

 

We will ask that they journal about their experience and bring it to the meeting on 3/16.  We will discuss and share our experiences. If your daughter is unable to attend the session, she is welcomed to participate in the challenge and just hand in, or email, her journal
 
Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday, March 9th. Turn your clocks ahead!