This Week at St. Bart's

March 30, 2016

A Message from the Reverend Andy Dunks

Why look among the dead for someone who is alive?

What follows is an Easter Vigil homily from 1800 years ago by a bishop and martyr. It humbles me to be following in the footsteps of such people, and my prayer is that we will rise to the occasion and follow Christ most devoutly, as he prayed for the catechumens about to be baptized on that Easter Eve so long ago. If you can take the time to read this, you will recognize the same faith we confess, and be blessed by the conviction with which it was proclaimed.

Now the holy rays of the light of Christ shine forth, the pure stars of the pure Spirit rise, the heavenly treasures of glory and divinity lie open. In this splendor the long dark night has been swallowed up and the dreary shadows of death have vanished. Life is offered to everyone; the whole world is filled with glory. A heavenly light more brilliant than all others sheds its radiance everywhere, and he who was begotten before the morning star and all the stars of heaven, Christ, mighty and immortal, shines upon all creatures more brightly than the sun.

For us who believe in him a glorious day has dawned, a long unending day, the mystical Passover symbolically celebrated by the law and effectually accomplished by Christ, a wonderful Passover, a miracle of divine virtue, a work of divine power. This is the true festival and the everlasting memorial, the day upon which freedom from suffering comes from suffering, immortality from death, life from the tomb, healing from a wound, resurrection from the fall, and ascension into heaven from the descent into hell. So does God perform His mighty works, bringing the incredible from the impossible to show that He alone can do whatever he wishes.

To show that he had power over death Christ had exercised his royal authority to loose death's bonds even during his lifetime, as for example when he gave the commands, "Lazarus, come out and Arise, my child." For the same reason He surrendered himself completely to death, so that in Him that gluttonous beast with its insatiable appetite would die completely. Since "death's power comes from sin," it searched everywhere in his sinless body for its accustomed food, for sensuality, pride, disobedience or, in a word, for that ancient sin which was its original sustenance. In him, however, it found nothing to feed on and so, being entirely closed in upon itself and destroyed for lack of nourishment, death became its own death.

Many of the just, proclaiming the Good News and prophesying were awaiting Him who was to become by His resurrection "the firstborn from the dead." And so, to save all members of the human race, whether they lived before the law, under the law, or after His own coming, Christ dwelt three days beneath the earth.

Mission

Our mission is to seek, serve, and celebrate Christ in every person.

We invite the community to worship with us, to share our gifts, and to grow in Christ's love.

In This Issue

Rector's column

This Sunday

Food Donations

Girl Scouts

Devotionals weekly readings

Cuban Night

St. Bart's Youth Group

Article Headline

Spiritual Formation Group

Prayer Request/Answered

On the Horizon

Web Site

www.stbartsrichmond.org

Email

stbartsrva@gmail.com

Phone

804-740-2101

Street Address

10627 Patterson Ave.

Henrico, VA 23238

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 29626

Richmond, VA 23242

Father Dunks's

contact information

Cell: 804-937-7145

dunks.andy@gmail.com

After His resurrection it was the women who were the first to see Him, for as a woman brought the first sin into the world, so a woman first announced the news of life to the world. Thus they heard the holy words, "Women, rejoice," for sadness was to be swallowed up by the joy of the resurrection.

O heavenly bounty, spiritual feast, divine Passover, coming down from heaven to earth and ascending again into heaven! You are the light of the new candles, the brightness of the virgins' lamps. Thanks to you the lamps of souls filled with the oil of Christ are no longer extinguished, for the spiritual and divine fire of love burns in all, in both soul and body.

O God, spiritual and eternal Lord, and Christ, Lord and king, we entreat you to extend your strong protecting hands over your holy Church and over your holy people, for ever devoted to you. Raise high in our defense the trophies of your triumph and grant that we like Moses may sing a hymn of victory, for yours is the glory and the power throughout all ages. Amen.

Hippolytus of Rome(c. 170-236): Easter Homily

Blessings,

This Sunday

8:30 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite I
9:30 AM Adult Sunday School

10:30 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II

5:30 PM Sudanese Service

First Sunday Food Donations for the Hungry

We continue to collect food donations on the first Sunday of each month.
If you forget that scheduled collection date, just add your donations to the
box to the right of the door anytime. We are currently delivering the food
to the Lamb's Basket Food Pantry in the Lakeside neighborhood. While they
accept any canned or packaged, food, items they regularly distribute to each
family the following products:

Pasta sauces

Soups

Beans

Vegetables

macaroni and cheese boxes

dry pasta

fruit (they have a goodly supply of fruit right now.)

In addition, they offer choices of juices, staples such as cooking oil, condiments
and a shelf of toiletries, detergents and paper goods. On my last delivery, they
mentioned they were low on baby food.

They would also like to have a steady source of fresh eggs. Due to our storage
constraints, I purchase eggs on the way to deliver the food. If anyone wants to
donate cash for eggs, I would be happy to add that to my donation.

Thank you for your support of this outreach project.

Creative Arts Ministries Program

Creative Arts Ministries is so happy to be with you all again. We will be presenting
part of our Easter Program at your 10:30 a.m.service on April 10th. We are looking
forward to seeing you.

Family Bible Devotionals

April 3-9

Start of Jesus's Ministry:John the Baptist; the baptism and temptation; Nazareth;
calling of the Apostles (Luke 3:1-22; 4:1-30; 5:1-11; 6:12-16).

Jesus Storybook Bible, p 200.

E100, #55
Bible Story Handbook, Ch. 134, 100, 101, 102

Memory: Luke 3:16.

2016 Cuban Night

his year Cuban Night will be held on April 23rd. We are
dedicating the event in honor of Mike Oglesby. He was a faithful supporter and he loved the Cuban food specially
the black beans.

Remember this is a big fund raiser for St. Bart's. We will
have fliers for you to take home and give out to neighbors
and co-workers this week. Encourage them to make
reservations so we know how much to prepare. They can
either call the church office at 804-740-2101 or email stbartscubannight@gmail.com.
The cost is $15 for adults and $8 for children under 12.

We will also need help setting up and cleaning up after the event so please sign

up on the bulletin board if you can assist.

St. Bart's Youth Group

Calling all youth 13 years and older to join our youth group. The meetings
will be held on Sundays at 6PM. We will continue to meet twice a month on
the second and fourth Sundays. Together we will explore the bible and see
how it can apply to our daily life. We will also be talking about how we can
help the church and community.

We would like to provide dinner for the youth group on the Sundays
we meet. Please call Marlaina Knowlton at 804-897-1495 if you could
help with dinner any Sunday. We will place a sign up sheet on the
bulletin board. Please consider helping by signing up. Thanks.

L'Arche Metro Richmond/Pie 5 FUNdraiser

10% of proceeds go to L'Arche!

Tuesday, April 12, 4pm-10pm

10921 W. Broad Street, Glen Allen 23060;

Takeout: 804-270-7435; www.piefivepizza.com/menu

Pie 5 will add $1 if you either "check in" on Facebook from Pie 5, or post a picture
of your Pie 5 experience on Facebook & include #piefiveglenallen.

Several friends plan to gather there from 6:30 - 7:30. You are invited to join the
group. Come when it fits your schedule (between 4pm & 10pm) to join the group,
dine in separately, or take out. On behalf of persons with disabilities in Metro
Richmond, THANK YOU!

Spiritual Formation Groups

Monday Night Group (at St. Bart's)

The Monday Night group meets at the Church from 6:30-8:00pm.

Wednesday Morning group (at St. Bart's)

The Wednesday Morning Group meets at the church for prayer and study from
10:30-11:30AM.

Prayer Request and Answered Prayers

Prayer Requests:

This week we are praying for: Arlene, Autumn, Audith, Betty Sue, Betty P.
Betty W., Bill, Carole, Carolyn, Carter, Cathy, Christy, Cierra, Clara, Claudine,

Diana, Dorothy, Don, Donna, Ethan, Frank, F.G., Ginny, Harlow, Hayden, H.B.,
Jane, Jennifer, Jimmie, Joyce, Julia, Karigan, Kathy, Kelly, Kent, Klaire, Kym,
Laura, Lexie, Lilliam, Linda, Maggie, Martin, Michael, Mindy, Molly, Nick, Okpil,
Paige, Paul, Rob, R.W., Sarah, Sebastian, Terry, Thomas, Tony, Tukie, Vonie.

On the Horizon