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 Holy Week: Meet The Enemy Who Loves You
Palm Sunday 2013
Dear Friends,
When I was in third grade, I was waiting for the bus to take me home from school. A fifth-grade friend persuaded me to join him in a "short tromp" up the hillside away from the line of other waiting kids. There was a woodchuck den, he said. The bus was never on time anyway, he said. And we'd be right back, he promised. I was bored. Why not, I shrugged. There's time. So I went. Several minutes later we started back down the hill just in time to see the bus pulling away without us. So we walked home. A few miles. Most of it on the shoulder of a four-lane highway. We were about a half-mile from my house when the cops picked us up and took us the rest of the way.
My mother was waiting for me. I had never seen grief in her face but I saw it now, turning from anxiety into a white-hot rage. My mom was not a screamer. Her approach was way worse: she got down on her knees, right down at my level, eye-to-eye with me. Her face was taut with anger, her lips were pursed, and she put both hands firmly on my shoulders. "Now you listen to me...." she began in a quiet and even voice that could have split a rock. I don't remember the rest very well, but I do remember feeling the heat of her indignation made all the more unbearable by her total reasonableness. I wore my hair short as a kid, a buzz-cut that was standard issue for military brats, but I was pretty sure the hurricane force of her quiet voice was pulling the rest out by its roots. I just stood there and took it, limp as a kitten and when I tried to look away, she gently took my chin in her hand and pointed my eyes back to hers.
And that's when I saw something else. In her eyes there was that huge grief I had caught sight of when we drove up: a depthless love that said, If I ever lost you, especially to something so stupid, I don't know how I would go on. You are dearer to me than my own life. Somehow, in that weird way of connecting dots that eight-year-olds have, I knew two things: I knew my mother was my sworn enemy, that she was crushingly disappointed in me, would never trust me again and, basically, was ready to kill me were it not for the fact that death would spare me the weeks of being grounded I deserved. But also in that moment, I knew she was my best friend, my shepherd, my defender, the one person I knew who would gladly die for me in a heartbeat. And that's when I began to cry.
[Continued]
Please visit http://www.episcopalpgh.org/holy-week-meet-the-enemy-who-loves-you/ for the rest of Bishop McConnell's Holy Week reflection.
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 Phase two of the process continues through April 20.
O GOD,
By your grace,
You have called us into
partnership with You to establish
a Community of Living Faith
in the rebuilding of our Diocese.
We pray that we may be an
oasis of hope built on spiritual trust
inviting all to know the love of Your Son
Jesus Christ our Savior.
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
reveal to us Your unfolding
plan and give us the grace
to see, hear, and follow You.
Open our hearts and minds
to hear the needs and concerns
of each other.
Keep us faithful
to proclaim
Your Holy Name
and keep us united in
Your purpose.
Through our Lord
Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
-Diocesan Prayer Team
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 The Great Vigil of Easter
The Easter Vigil is the most important service of public worship and Mass of the liturgical year. It is the first celebration of the Gloria during the fifty-day long celebration of Easter, marked by the first use since the beginning of Lent of the exclamatory "Alleluia," a distinctive feature of the Easter season.
The service normally consists of four parts:
- The Service of Light
- The Service of Lessons
- Christian Initiation, or the Renewal of Baptismal Vows
- The Holy Eucharist with the administration of Easter Communion
 The Service of Light begins outside the church with the "New Fire." The Pascal Candle is lit and leads the procession into the Sanctuary. It is announced "The Light of Christ" to which we respond "Thanks be to God." We are reminded that Christ is the "light" in the darkness of life for Christians everywhere. The great hymn, The Exsultet, is sung, the sweeping story of salvation history is recounted, the Resurrection of Jesus is proclaimed (loudly!) with the ringing of bells.
The Liturgy of the Word begins with readings from the Old Testament and continues through the Gospel of the Resurrection.
Then follows the year's principal rites of Baptism and Eucharist. The congregation renews their baptismal vows and the Liturgy of the Eucharist continues as usual.
Enjoy this special service on Saturday, March 30 at the following parishes:
Calvary Episcopal Church, East Liberty, starting at 8 p.m.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Mt. Lebanon, 7:30 p.m.
St. Thomas Memorial Church, Oakmont, 7:30 p.m.
Christ Episcopal Church, North Hills, 8 p.m.
Church of the Redeemer, Squirrel Hill, 8 p.m.
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 Pittsburgh Youth Initiative Plans
Senior Recognition, Youth Leadership Gathering
Dear PYI Friends,
Some pertinent information regarding our youth leadership planning meeting and senior recognition event. We will be hosting both events on Saturday, April 6, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Mt. Lebanon.
Our Leadership Planning Meeting will take place from 9 - 10:30 a.m. The purpose of the meeting is to begin planning events for the 2013-2014 school year. We are really looking for input. Please bring your ideas! Youth are always welcome at PYI planning meetings.
Shortly following the meeting, at 11 a.m., we will hold a special luncheon for the high school seniors throughout the diocese. The honorees will receive gifts and meet with the Bishop before having a catered lunch. Also attending will be the Rev. Philip Wainwright, our campus ministries coordinator, who will speak with students regarding on-campus ministries. Parents and youth leaders are also encouraged to attend the recognition lunch. We are asking youth leaders to inform their seniors about the luncheon. However, if you would like us to contact the students/ families directly on behalf of the Bishop please let us know.
Please RSVP for either one or both events no later than March 31 to either Vickie or Brent.
Peace,
Victoria O'Brien (vobrien@episcopalpgh.org) & Brent Hansen (bhansen@episcopalpgh.org)
Co-Directors of Diocesan Youth Ministry
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 Presiding Bishop's 2013 Easter Message
Rejoice, rejoice and sing, rejoice and be glad... for earth and heaven are joined and humanity is reconciled to God! [1]
As the Lenten season ends in Easter rejoicing, note what has been wrought in you this year. A remarkable cross-section of America has been practicing Lenten disciplines, even some who are not active Christians. [2] There is a deep hunger in our collective psyche to re-orient our lives toward life and light, healing and peace. We share a holy hunger for clarity about what is good and life-giving, and we yearn to re-focus on what is most central and important in life.
Easter celebrates the victory of light and life over darkness and death. God re-creates and redeems all life from dead, dry, and destroyed bones. We are released from the bonds of self-obsession, addiction, and whatever would steal away the radical freedom of God-with-us. Our lives re-center in what is most holy and creative, the new thing God is continually doing in our midst. Practicing vulnerability toward the need and hunger of others around us, we have cultivated compassionate hearts. We join in baptismal rebirth in the midst of Jesus' own passing-over.
The wonder of the resurrection is upon us once more. May we embrace God's ever-new life with every cell of our being, every yearning of our soul, and every muscle of our will. Christ is risen, death is vanquished, humanity is restored to holy and creative relationship with God's ongoing and eternal liveliness. Praise God who brings light out of darkness, life out of death, and newness out of the stale and moribund. Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church
[1] From the Exsultet, Book of Common Prayer pp 286-7
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Women's Quiet Day in Brighton Heights
Women of the diocese are cordially invited to attend
A Day of Reflection
on April 13, 2013, at All Saints Episcopal Church, 3577 McClure Ave.,
Brighton Heights, Pittsburgh, 15212.
The Rev. Dr. Moni McIntyre will explore the many ways
that Jesus Christ manifests himself in each of us.
Coffee, donuts and registration at 9:30 a.m.
Discussion and reflection 10:00 - 12 noon
Lunch (provided) and free time 12:00 - 1:00
Discussion and reflection 1:00 - 2:00
Holy Communion 2:00
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 St. Brendan's, Franklin Park Rector Search Committee Accepting Applications
St. Brendan's, Franklin Park, is in the process of seeking a permanent rector. They are presently accepting applications and will continue to do so until the end of May.
"We humbly acknowledge that our search is guided by the will and grace of God and we are grateful for the good will and prayers of our diocesan friends at this exciting time," said Jim Gray, chair of the Rector Search Committee. |
Around the Diocese
Bishop McConnell's Holy Week Schedule
Thursday, March 28: St. Thomas, Oakmont (Maundy Thursday) 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 29: Trinity Cathedral (Good Friday) Noon
St. Paul Cathedral, Oakland (Ecumenical Tenebrae) 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 30: Ecumenical Blessing of the City, Mt. Washington 10 a.m.
Calvary, East Liberty (Easter Vigil) 8 p.m.
Easter Sunday, March 31: Trinity Cathedral (Easter Festival Eucharist)
2013 ECW Grants & Scholarships: Application deadline is April 1. Click here for grant information. Click here for scholarship information.
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Parting Shots
On Monday, March 25, Bishop Dorsey McConnell and the clergy of the diocese joined with Lutheran Bishop Kurt Kusserow and clergy from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA for the annual Chrism Mass, a service for the renewal of ordination vows and blessing of oils. The service was held at the historic First English Evangelical Lutheran Church on Grant St. in downtown Pittsburgh.
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All submissions to the Grace Happens weekly newsletter are welcome and should be sent to asmuhl@episcopalpgh.org. Material should be sent before the close of business on Monday to be considered for inclusion in the current week's newsletter. Please be sure to include your contact information with any submission.
Submissions for publication of items on the diocesan web site and calendar should also be sent electronically to asmuhl@episcopalpgh.org.
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