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Weekly E-News March 13, 2015
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Worship Schedule
Sunday
8am and 10am
Holy Eucharist
9:45am Nursery Tuesday-Friday
9am Morning Prayer in the Chapel Wednesday
7am service with Holy Eucharist
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I've been addressing the issues of spiritual practice in the keeping of a holy Lent. Spiritual practice can best be thought of as methods or practices that facilitate our correct alignment with the energy of the divine dimension. Picture the way radio telescopes track radio signals from space, continually rotating in order to expose the greatest surface of the receiver dish to the source of the signals. Spiritual practices facilitate the purpose of the spiritual life, which is to become increasingly transformed by the inflow of the energies of divine love and grace.
The Prayer Book invites us to keep a holy Lent through self-examination and repentance. Most Episcopalians think of confession either as the General Confession in the liturgy or as the Roman Catholic practice of going to confession. In the Book of Common Prayer we have a rite called the Reconciliation of the Penitent. Contrary to common knowledge this practice has always been an important part of Anglican spiritual practice. The Prayer Book understands going to confession or Reconciliation as spiritual-pastoral care and not about being reinstated to a state of grace necessary for receiving the sacraments.
At certain points in life we are led to reflection on the deeper currents that flow beneath the surface of our lives. These currents are fed from deep wellsprings of spiritual and emotional energy that hold the potential to enrich our sense of connection with God, with ourselves, and with other people. A paradox of life is that our strengths and weaknesses, joys and sorrows often flow from the same source. Beneath the surface of our living we also find feelings of shame, guilt, and the pain of relationship loss and failure. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is designed to aid us when we feel stuck; when we sense that something is blocking the reworking of pain into gain. Unlike modern counseling which brings a psychological framework to bear, Reconciliation brings a forgiveness framework to bear on our internal reflections. The real problem is not whether God forgives us. The real stumbling block is our inability to forgive ourselves.
Human beings are at heart relational, and so there is a limit to how far we can get by simply talking to ourselves or even talking to God within the privacy of our own minds. When we can't make progress on our own, what is needed is to be able to talk to another person. The Sacrament of Reconciliation provides the confidential space for opening ourselves to the healing grace of God, mediated through the ministry of a priest representing the living Body of Christ. The theology of Reconciliation of the Penitent in the Episcopal Church can best be summed up as: all may, some should, none must make their individual confession. Some people find Reconciliation to be a valuable and regular part of their spiritual formation. For others it is a remedial action taken at particular times when needed.
Snow melt at last! See you in Church, on Sunday.
Mark+
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Tomorrow - Saturday!
Evensong Rehearsal 10am-3pm (adults 10am-1pm: children 1-3pm)
+ Funeral for Jane Mackenzie at 5pm, reception following in the Great Hall
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Ephesians 2:1-10 (NT) John 3:14-21 (Gospel) Click here for this Sunday's readings. |
THIS SUNDAY
Casting for roles in Palm Sunday Passion. Sign up in back of the church. +
Youth Group at 11:30am
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Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) Diocesan Evensong at 5pm! Reception following in the Great Hall.
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Youth Group at 11:30am +
Gluten Free Hosts available at the altar rail.
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**Coffee Hour host this week is Parker Smith.
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It is my practice to endeavor to say Morning Prayer in the Chapel of the Church at 9am on Tuesday through Friday each week I look forward to seeing you there! Mark+ |
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+Easter Sunday Coffee Hour...
will hosted by the Church School and Hospitality Committee: You won't want to miss this...the Great Hall will be decked out in colorful festive cupcakes.
Coffee and punch will be served.
If you would like to contribute 1-2 dozen cupcakes, please see Jane Taylor or call the church office.
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+Special Lenten Collection (change of contact person)
As a part of your Lenten discipline, the St. Martin's Outreach Committee is asking you to donate to homeless shelters, Harrington Hall and The Providence Rescue League. During this unusually cold winter, the shelters are staying open around the clock for the protection of their guests. This has greatly impacted the shelter's budgets.
Therefore, we are collecting non-perishable food snacks (individually wrapped items such as peanut butter crackers, cheese crackers, protein and granola bars, and trail mix) and monetary donations to cover utility bills. Please drop off food items in the designated basket at the back of the church. Checks payable to St. Martin's with "homeless" in the memo may be put in the offering plate or mailed to the church office. Any questions, please contact Mary Gray at [email protected] or call the church office.
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Wednesday Evening Lenten Supper Program
March 18th: Wednesday Evening Lenten Supper Program at 5:30pm in the Great Hall. (and every Wednesday through March 25th).
Worship comprising Stations of the Cross with Holy Communion, followed with a simple vegetarian meal at 6.15pm in the Great Hall (If you plan to eat with us please contact Susan at [email protected]). Study and discussion will be from 7.00pm - 8.30pm. The evening will end with the short and beautiful service of Compline (Night Prayer) taking us to 8.45pm. In our 2015 Lent Program, we will explore the Rule of St. Benedict structured around the very user-friendly book: St.Benedict's Toolbox by Jane Tomaine. Participants are asked to purchase this book at Amazon.
In our 2015 Lent Program, we will explore the Rule of St. Benedict structured around the very user-friendly book: St. Benedict's Toolbox by Jane Tomaine. Participants are asked to purchase this book at Amazon here.
More information on Lent can be found on our website at www.stmartinsprov.org/upcoming/
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Save the Date!
March
Wednesday, March 18
Lenten Supper Program
5:30pm Eucharist 6pm soup Compline at 8:15pm
(also on March 25)
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Palm Sunday, March 29th
LAST Directory Photo shoot in the Stearns Room after both services
+ Saturday, May 9th Diocesan Confirmation at 10am
St. Barnabus, Warwick, RI
If you would like to be confirmed, received, or affirmed, please contact Father Mark or the church office.
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Holy Week Schedule 2015
Sunday, March 29 Palm Sunday services at 8am & 10am
Monday, March 30 Evensong at 5:30pm
Tuesday, March 31
Evensong at 5:30pm
Wednesday, April 1
Stations of the Cross at 7:30pm service
Thursday, April 2
Maundy Thursday 7:30pm service
Easter Vigil 9pm to midnight
Good Friday, April 3
Good Friday Walk 9am/Morning Prayer at 8:30am Easter Vigil 5am to 9am
Good Friday Service 7:30pm Choral Service
Saturday, April 4
Easter Vigil Service at 7:30pm with Baptism
Sunday, April 5
Easter Services with music at 8am & 10am
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In Your Neighborhood.....
March 14: (last one on March 21) Ukranian Easter Egg Painting Classes: Saturday afternoons during Lent: from 1-4pm at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 81 Warren Avenue, E. Prov. RI 02914 Adults $10, children $5. All supplies provided. Call 434-7456 for more information. +
March 20-21: Scholar in Residence Weekend at Temple Beth-El featuring Dr. Joel M. Hoffman. On Friday, March 20 starting at 6:30pm Dr. Hoffman will speak on the "Three Answers to Good and Evil That Were Cut from the Bible". On Saturday, March 21, Dr. Hoffman will speak on "Reading Scripture through the Lens of our Shared Heritage". Please call Temple Beth-El at 331-6070 for more information.
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We need.....
donations for Saint Martin's Thrifty Goose and The Cloak closet. All donations are tax deductible. At this time of year, we ask for any extra coats and gently used warm clothes you may have to give. Cloak volunteers contact Mary Gray at [email protected]; Thrifty volunteers contact Karen Bracken at [email protected]. + Coffee Hour Hosts: We have a lot of open slots. Please consider hosting Coffee Hour one Sunday. Sign up in the Great Hall on the flipchart.
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Participants in Worship
March 15, 2015
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| 8am: Reader/EM: Missy Bennett Altar Guild: Karen Bracken | 8am: Reader/EM: Joe Handly Altar Guild: Pat Knowles | 10am: Readers: Walter Cotter (OT) Peter Dennehy (NT) Helen Bodell (Prayers) Altar Guild: John Condon Louise Ely Eucharistic Ministers: Helen Bodell (Verger) Rich Gruber John Condon Acolytes: BG Goff Erin Welshman Rebecca Loell Ushers: David Brookhart Linda Brookhart Eric Gustafson Jaye Tyler Brooks Magratten | 10am: Readers: Emily Gray (OT) Melissa Calhoun (NT) Ben Loell (Prayers) Altar Guild: Susan Rodgers Tom McDonnell Eucharistic Ministers: Meg LoPresti (Verger) Denis Moonan Linda Griggs Acolytes: Elizabeth Blake Diana Blake Gabrielle Ellicott Ushers: Charlie Bodell Sarosh Fenn Peter Gray Emily Hollenbeck Olivia Gray
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Copyright � 2015. All Rights Reserved.
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