In This Issue:

Pg 2 - Easter

Breakfast

Pg 3 - EarthCares;

TREC-CT

Pg 4 - Readings

Pg 5 - Reflection;

Lent Madness

Pg 6 - Fertitta

Concert

Pg 7 - Missions

Conference

Pg 8 - AmeriCorps

Pg 9 - Participating

© 2016 St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 294 Main Street South, Woodbury, CT 06798 • (203) 263-3541 • st.paulswoodbury@stpaulswoodbury.net

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February 18, 2016

E ach Wednesday

evening during Lent we gather at

6:30 pm in the church for Stations of the Cross. Consider making this

spiritual pilgrimage of prayer, through meditating upon the

chief scenes of Christ's sufferings and death, part of your Lenten discipline.

THIS WEEK AT ST. PAUL’S

Sat Feb 20 2:30 pm Book Group 5:00 pm Holy Eucharist & Healing Sun Feb 21 Second Sunday in LentSecond Sunday in LentSecond Sunday in Lent 8:00 am Holy Eucharist 9:45 am Church School 10:00 am Holy Eucharist Mon Feb 22 6:15 pm Christian Yoga, Pearson Room Wed Feb 24 12:00 pm Men’s Lunch, Charcoal Chef 6:30 pm Stations of the Cross 7:00 pm Confirmation Class Thu Feb 25 10:30 am C.I.A. Discussion Group, Louise Smith’s Home 7:00 pm House Church at Fr. Fred’s Sat Feb 27 10 am - 4 pm Vestry Retreat, Pearson Room 5:00 pm Holy Eucharist Sun Feb 14 Third Sunday in LentThird Sunday in LentThird Sunday in Lent 8:00 am Holy Eucharist 9:45 am Church School 10:00 am Holy Eucharist

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“S o shall your descendants be.” Just think, you are one of those descendants. Perhaps you

sometimes think you are uncountable, as well all the stars Abraham could not number. But we are assured that we are loved and counted by God Himself, who numbers us all as His own. How can we not be full of gratitude for such a special gift?

Safe Church training sessions are now scheduled through June 2016. Register online - click here for page with registration links. Basic Comprehensive Safe Church Training - for Laity

Mar. 5, 2016, 9 a.m., St. James's, West Hartford

Apr. 16, 2016, 9 a.m., Trinity, Collinsville

Apr. 30, 2016, 9 a.m., St. Peter's, Cheshire

May 7, 2016, 9 a.m., St. John's, Vernon

May 14, 2016, 9 a.m, St. Paul's, Brookfield

June 4, 2016, 9 a.m., Christ Church, East Norwalk

June 25, 2016, 9 a.m , St. John's, Niantic

Easter Breakfast - We need your help to continue the tradition of serving a free breakfast for guests and parishioners on Easter Sunday, March 27th. Your help is needed to make this happen. The sign up sheets will be in the Pearson room starting March 6. Please consider assisting with set-up, clean-up, cooking or donating. The Welcoming Committee.

Lay Schedule - Please contact the parish office or your lay ministry coordinator as soon as possible about your schedule

availability for the Spring Lay Schedule period, March 1 thru June 12th.

Ministry Opportunities - We would like to add to our worship team. If you are interested in becoming an usher, lector, intercessor or chalicer, please contact the parish office or Fr.

Greg. No experience necessary, training provided, great benefits!

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TREC-CT 3.0 (T3): Transition Team starts its work

Changes to Episcopal Church in Connecticut (ECCT) structure and governance proposed by TREC-CT, adopted at the 2015 Convention, called for a Transition

Team to convene parishes and individuals in each Region during the first six months of 2016. The T3 Team, with members from different Regions and from Ministry Networks, has now been identified, convened, and assigned tasks. Dates have also been set for a convocation in each Region, so mark your calendar now. Locations

are TBD. Convocation content and process are expected to vary by Region. The Final Report from TREC-CT, along with a graphic illustration and a map showing Regions, is here. For a

list of members and more information, visit the Transition Team website here. The date for the Ministry Network Convocation will be scheduled and announced later. St. Paul’s is currently assigned to the Northwest Region. Region Convocation dates: Northeast Region: April 22-23 South Central Region: May 6-7 Southwest Region: May 13-14 Southeast Region: May 20-21 Northwest Region: June 10-11 North Central: June 24-25

Who’s ready for a trip to Scotland? Janet

Congdon is. She’s leading another two-week

trip leaving July 31st. Contact her for more info.

Earth Cares - Is there a member of our congregation who maintains a garden in the summer? If so, would you be willing to take over the composting detail each Sunday? There are two compost collectors in the kitchen. Thank you for considering this responsibility.

Also I’m looking for someone who is willing to

handle collecting the

used markers and the egg cartons as well. If you are

willing, please contact Brenda Weir.

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House Church - Small Group Gathering - Now meeting each Thursday night at 7:00 pm a small group gathers at Fr. Fred’s for an evening of prayer and study, concluding with Compline. If you would like to join House Church on Thursday nights please e-mail Father Fred at frfred@sbcglobal.net or Betty Lou honeylou@charter.net.

C. I. A. - The weekly bible study group that meets each Thursday at Louise Smith’s home has a new name. They are now calling themselves the C. I. A. (Christians in Action) Discussion Group. They meet every Thursday at 10:30 am and are open to everyone.

This Weekend’s Readings

“Journey Toward Jerusalem”

Genesis 15:1-12,17-18

O ur Hebrew scripture lesson tells of the promise of many descendants and of a

covenant guaranteeing a homeland which God made with Abraham (who at that

time was known as Abram).

Psalm 27

The Psalmist expresses great trust and confidence in the Lord and asks always to be in

God's presence.

Philippians 3:17-4:1

In this reading Paul warns of enemies of the cross of Christ and urges the disciples in

Philippi to stand firm in the hope on the glory to come Christians are to see themselves

already is citizens of heaven, expecting Christ to come and to transfigure their present

bodies into the form of their Lord’s own resplendent existence.

Luke 13:31-35

In our gospel Jesus is disdainful of King Herod’s threat and expresses his determination

to fulfill his prophetic destiny in Jerusalem. Jesus’ words emphasize his struggle against the

forces of evil and illness and his expectation concerning what will soon happened to him in

Jerusalem. He laments over the city, once chosen for God's temple, which has killed so

many prophets before him.

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Stewardship Reflection

“I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans

to give you this land as a possession.”

(Genesis 15:7)

J ust as the Lord gave Abraham, Moses

and the Israelites a land to possess, He

has also given each of us a home. Whether

our home is grand or humble, it is a gift from

God. Abraham prepared a great sacrifice to the

Lord in gratitude for the home God gave him.

How do we show our gratitude to God for the

home He has given us? Do we make a sacrifice

of any kind? Do we return any of our finances to

God, investing equally in our eternal home just as

we invest in our earthly home?

I was given a red V-necked sweater vest whose front is completed.

The back is half completed. There are knitting needles and more

than enough red yarn as well as directions. This is a partially competed

project for the Seamen's Church Institute in New York. Is anyone

interested in completing it and mailing it to the New York

address? Or if anyone wants to complete it and keep it, that

is totally fine as well. Bren

African Tour - Maybe you’re interested in Africa? Gaby Drews is putting together a trip to travel to Kenya (13 days) with an

extension to Tanzania (4 nights) for a total of 17 days on Sept. 2nd – Sept. 18th, 2016 -- during Wildebeest migration. Contact her for more info.

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F ood Collection Sunday The third Sunday of each month we encourage everyone to bring

in food donations for the Woodbury Food Bank. For an up to date list of the priority needs of the Woodbury Food Bank see the handout sheet in food collection basket in the narthex. The food bank is not

able to accept items past their labeled expiration date. Immediate food bank request are: Canned cat food & canned chicken. Gluten

free items. No chicken noodle soup! Thank you.

C hristian Yoga - Because of weather cancellations, the current session of Christian

Yoga will continue on Monday evenings through March 14th.

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Men’s Group

E ach Wednesday at noon the men’s group, a growing and informal gathering of men, has been meeting for lunch at

the Charcoal Chef. Please feel free to join them!

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Please remember to arrange for your own replacements and to keep the office informed of

any changes at st.paulswoodbury@stpaulswoodbury.net.

Saturday, February 20th

5 pm

Usher Barbara Grant

Lectors Lis Blum, Karen Nash

Chalicer Karen Nash

Sunday, February 21st

8 am

Ushers Dick Leavenworth, Joan Wilson

Lector Joan Wilson

Chalicer Bonnie Leavenworth

Intercessor Dick Leavenworth

10 am

Ushers Julie & Tom Calkins

Lectors Duke Breon, Tom Calkins

Chalicers Ed Hord, Mieke Weggeman

Intercessor Ed Hord

Acolytes Hannah & Jake Kimball

Counter Leslie Albrecht

Altar Guild: Helen Burdick, Lynda Jones,

Wrey Trompeter

Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Bonnie Leavenworth,

Peg Robinson, Joan Wilson

Saturday, February 27th

5 pm

Ushers Marianne Daly, Dale White

Lectors Barbara Grant, John Dransfield

Chalicer Karen Nash

Sunday, February 28th

8 am

Ushers Judie Ferris, Kathie Nichols

Lector Dick Leavenworth

Chalicer Brenda Weir

Intercessor Brenda Weir

10 am

Usher Russ DePace

Lectors Amy Williams, Ed Hord

Chalicers Maya Brazauskas, Phoebe Hale

Intercessor Duke Breon

Acolytes Maille Kimble, Molly Robinson

Counter Ron Roberts

Altar Guild: Helen Burdick, Lynda Jones,

Wrey Trompeter

Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Bonnie Leavenworth,

Wrey Trompeter, Brenda Weir

Participating in the Services

COFFEE HOUR HOSTS February 21 - Julie & Tom Calkins February 28 - Dale & Jay Ambrose March 6 - Sue & Marty Taylor

St. Paul’s Church 294 Main Street South

Woodbury, Connecticut 06798

Office: 203-263-3541 St.paulswoodbury@stpaulswoodbury.net

Website: stpaulswoodbury.org

Hebrews 13:2 - Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.