NEWSLETTER Lent - 2014 · asked how many sporting events, movies, hunting or fishing trips, or...

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ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

112 E. Main Street (P.O. Box 206) Lock Haven, PA 17745 Telephone: 570-748-2440

www.st-pauls-lock-haven.diocpa.org

NEWSLETTER

Lent - 2014 Email: [email protected]

MINISTRY AT ST. PAUL’S

The Rt. Rev’d Nathan D. Baxter Bishop of Central Pennsylvania

The Ven. Canon Daniel L. Selvage Priest-in-Charge

Email: [email protected] Telephone: (814) 353-0124

MUSIC

Neil Kim Feerrar Organist/Choir Director

ALTAR GUILD & FLOWERS

Phyllis Durost Telephone: (570) 726-6502

VESTRY

Claudia Horner, Senior Warden Charles Conway, Treasurer Ben Blascovich Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] [email protected] Telephone: (814)383-4496 Telephone: (570) 748-4859 Telephone: (570)-726-4711 Scott Horner, Junior Warden Thomas Smithgall, Email: [email protected] Email: n/a Telephone: (814) 383-4496 Telephone: (570) 726-41

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CANON SELVAGE’S LENTEN MESSAGE …

Dear Friends in Christ,

In 39 years of ordained ministry, I have been continually amazed by how the practice and the living out of our faith is so often haphazard, hot and cold, up and down, and often, not even in the top ten most important things in our life. We’ll stand in line for hours for a concert or to purchase a ticket to a sporting event, and then claim that our schedules are just too full to permit our participation in the Sunday Eucharist. Or perhaps our excuse is that we’re just too tired from being out late the night before -- excuses that work only when it comes to the practice of our faith -- excuses that no employer would ever accept.

Why is everything else more important than the practice of our faith? We have time for exercise classes, musical productions, having lunch with friends, meeting for drinks at the bar, watching TV, attending social events, etc. Yet we never seem to have time to pray at least one time a day, read the Scripture, or come to Church on Sunday morning. Yet, God has commanded us to keep holy the Sabbath, but we continue to skip church for any number of reasons because, simply put, we just don’t care.

Christianity is a life choice! The practice of our faith is important so we can be nourished to live Christ-like lives! We live in the Kingdom of God here on earth -- the Kingdom that Jesus himself established -- the Kingdom that is promised to us by Christ’s death upon the cross. But many of us expect it to be handed to us on a silver platter -- no effort required -- it will just be there when we want it to be. Meanwhile, we’ll just go about our busy schedules, checking-in only once in a while when it suits us so that, if we really need God at some point, God will likely remember us!

Friends, when it all comes down to it, when we stand before the Throne of God, we’ll not be asked how many sporting events, movies, hunting or fishing trips, or concerts we attended. However, we will be asked how we kept the commands of God, including the command to keep holy the Sabbath … that is, to be nourished at the Table of the Lord … the weekly Sunday Eucharist.

Lent begins on March 5, Ash Wednesday. I am asking each of you to allow this Lent to be a time for taking stock of how you practice and live out your faith. Perhaps rather than giving up chocolate or another favorite food, you should give up your complacency and get to Church on Sunday mornings? Perhaps rather than going on a diet during Lent, you should plan to come to our Friday evening Lenten devotions of The Stations of the Cross? And meanwhile, why not pick up a Bible and commit to a program of daily Scripture reading?

Blessings to you as we enter this holy season of Lent – a time for repentance and new beginnings. Lent – a time for us to renew, refresh, be healed, be forgive, and a chance for new life in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Life offers us a series of choices and each choice has a consequence. And for each choice we make, we shall be held accountable. Let’s resolve to make the living out of and practice of our faith important.

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Shrove Tuesday Pancake & Sausage Supper Mark your calendars for the annual Shrove Tuesday pancake and sausage supper on March 4 from 5:30 – 6:30 pm in the Upper Room. Helpers are needed to flip pancakes, grill sausages, set and clean tables, wash dishes, and more. While there is no charge for the

dinner, a free will offering will be received, and reservations are requested. Please use the signup sheet located in the Narthex to indicate how many people will be attending the dinner and if you are available to help. For additional information, please speak with Chip Foulsham, our coordinator for this event. Come and enjoy the fun!

Ash Wednesday Vigil to be Observed Ash Wednesday marks the official beginning of Lent, a solemn season providing time in which converts are prepared for Baptism at Easter. It also is a time when the church calls us to self-

examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditation on God’s holy Word. To make a right beginning of this holy time, and as a mark of our mortal nature, it is customary for Christians to come together to participate in a special Holy

Eucharist marked by penitence and the imposition of ashes, together with the reception of Holy Communion. As is our custom, we shall be observing this liturgy as a Vigil – that is a service occurring on the eve of Ash Wednesday, Tuesday, March 4. The service will be held in the Lord Room at 7:00 pm. Please plan to attend.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS … The Way of the Cross, also known as The Stations of the Cross, is a way to pray and meditate on Christ's sacrifice for us. During Lent, this holy devotion is being offered at St. Paul’s Church at 5:00 pm every Friday afternoon. We are looking for additional persons to help lead this devotion. For additional information, please speak with Lynn Bruner. Please plan to join us!

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About Holy Baptism

The next appropriate times for Baptism to be administered at St. Paul’s are Easter Sunday (April 20), and Pentecost Sunday (June 8). If you have not been baptized or would like your child, grandchild or other family member to be baptized, please speak with Canon Selvage to make arrangements. He will schedule a meeting with you to discuss Baptism prior to the date you select.

From the Parish Register

Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon them …

Frank L. Hedges III. Born July 2, 1938; Died February 7, 2014; Buried from the parish church February 14, 2014.

Elizabeth Botts Williamson. Born July 30, 1929; Died January 4, 2014. A Memorial Service and Inurnment in St. Paul’s columbarium will be celebrated on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at 2:00 pm.

The prayers and sympathy of the parish are extended to their families and friends during this time of loss and grief.

Diocesan Training Day – THRIVE

Saturday, March 22, 8:30 am – Registration/3:00 pm Commissioning & Closing Prayers St. Luke’s Church, Altoona. Cost: $20.00, includes lunch.

Leading through Change: The Power of Appreciative Inquiry Led by Mr. Ray Wells, President of Wellbeing Systems

Workshops for everyone, clergy and lay:

* Leading through change: Identification of your change * LEV Training * Parish Worship Training * Parish Administration * Financial Development * Communications * How Episcopalians Read Scripture * Ministries of Healing and Pastoral Visitation

Registration online at www.diocesecpa.org – Home Page, before March 15, 2014

http://www.diocesecpa.org/

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Bishop Search “Listening Events”

The Search Committee charged with finding suitable candidates for our upcoming election for a new diocesan bishop, has scheduled a series of “Listening Events” to receive input from the lay members of our parishes for direction in identifying what we are looking for in our next bishop. Events will be held on the following dates:

Sunday, February 23, 2:00 PM – St. Paul’s, Wellsboro

Tuesday, February 25, 12:00 PM – St. Thomas, Lancaster

Thursday, February 27, 11:30 AM – St. Paul’s, Wellsboro

Saturday, March 1, 10 AM – St. Mark’s, Lewistown

Sunday, March 2, 1 PM – St. Andrew’s, Lewisburg

For those wishing to participate in this process but who are unable to attend any of the above meetings, please know that an online form is available to provide your input. Please speak with Canon Selvage concerning this matter.

A New Paschal Candle Needed

The time has come for us to replace our old Paschal Candle. The flame of the Paschal Candle symbolizes the eternal presence of Christ, the light of the world in the midst of his people. The Paschal Candle is sometimes referred to as the “Easter Candle” or “Christ Candle” as it is blessed and lit every year at Easter and burns thoughtout the Paschal Season – from Easter Day until the Feast of Pente-cost. In addition, it is used throughout the year at the liturgies for baptism and Christian Burial. If you would like to make a donation toward the purchase of our new Paschal Candle, either in honor or memory of a loved one, please complete this order form and return it to the church or mail it to: Phyllis Durost, 219 Kennedy Ave., Mill Hall, PA 17751. NOTE: Checks should be made payable to: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with the memo line marked: Candle. _____________________________________________________________________________________

Paschal Candle Order Form – 2014

FROM: ______________________________________________________________

I have enclosed my check made payable to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the amount of $__________________. This gift is being offering to the Glory of God and in loving memory of:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

And/or in thanksgiving for:

_____________________________________________________________________________

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This Month at St. Paul’s

Sunday, March 2: The Last Sunday after the Epiphany 10:30 a.m., Holy Eucharist

Monday, March 3: 7:00 p.m., Gentle Yoga and Mindfulness

Tuesday, March 4: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper 7:00 p.m., Vigil Liturgy of Ash Wednesday

Friday, March 7: 5:00 p.m., Stations of the Cross

Sunday, March 9: Lent I (Return to Daylight Savings Time) 10:30 a.m., Holy Eucharist



Sunday, March 16: Lent II 10:30 a.m., Morning Prayer 2:00 p.m., Kellerman Concert



Saturday, March 22: 72:00 p.m., Elizabeth Williamson Memorial Service & Inurnment

Sunday, March 23: Lent III 10:30 a.m., Holy Eucharist 11:30 a.m., Vestry Meeting



Sunday, March 30: Lent IV 10:30 a.m., Morning Prayer


NEWSLETTER Lent - 2014 · asked how many sporting events, movies, hunting or fishing trips, or...

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