St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 16457 Old Frederick Road, Mt. Airy, MD. 21771 (410-489-4411) April 2017

Lenten Reflection

Each week this Lent, we have used liturgies from different parts of theAnglican/Episcopal Communion. The text below expresses our common faith tradition.

Our Holy Eucharist Worship from the New Zealand Prayer Book (pg. 403)

Christ comes to us bringing good news of God’s grace and generosity. Christ has inaugurated for us a sacred meal, and summoned us to have communion with him. We give thanks to the Father, remember Christ, call upon the Holy Spirit, unite ourselves with all the faithful, and share God’s food and hospitality. Jesus said that the children were to come to him. Children, too, have an important part to play in the Eucharistic community.

‘In the celebration of the Eucharist Christ gathers, teaches and nourishes the Church. It is Christ who invites to the meal and who presides at it.’

The Eucharist is central to Christian spiritual life. For us, Christ is the shepherd who leads us, the prophet who announces God’s word to us, and the priest who celebrates God’s presence with us.

Sunday, the Lord’s day, is the resurrection festival, the special day for the Eucharist. As we take part, break the bread and share the cup, our forgiveness is renewed and we are cleansed. As we worship, our hope and conviction that life is stronger than death and that love is the key to life is reinforced. This is food for the baptized; it is food we need week by week and year by year. It is a meal to which we need to come with open and honest hearts.

In the Eucharist we put our belief about God, about our life together and about ourselves into words and actions. We come to touch the hem of Christ’s garment.

Grace and Peace to all.

St. Paul’s Beacon

The St. Pauls Beacon

Mark Your CalendarsSunday, April 2, 9:00 a.m. service.

Wednesday, April 5, 6:00 p.m. Soup and Lenten Study

Palm Sunday, April 9, 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Services

Maundy Thursday, April 13, 7:00 p.m. Service

Good Friday, April 14,1:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross at St. Michael’s.7:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist at St. Paul’s

Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil, April 15, 7:30 p.m. at St. James

Easter Sunday, April 16, 9:00 a.m. Festive Celebration of the Resurrection

Thursday, April 20, 6:30 p.m.Vestry Meeting

Sunday, April 9, 23 & 30 8:00 & 10:30 a.m. services

Susan S Keller+

Holy Week SchedulePalm Sunday ~ April 9, 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services

Maundy Thursday ~ April 13, 7:00 p.m. ~ Holy Eucharist with Washing of Feet.

Good Friday ~ April 14, 1:00 p.m. Ecumenical Service, Stations of the Cross St. Michaels Catholic Church, St. Michaels Rd, Mt. Airy.

At St. Paul’s ~ 7:00 p.m.~ Holy Eucharist with Reserved Sacrament.

The Good Friday Offering ~ See Bishop Curry’s letter below.

Holy Saturday ~ Easter Vigil ~ April 15, 7:30 p.m. Shared worship with St. James, and Grace, New Market. Service at St. James located at 1307 N. Main St., Mt. Airy, MD 21771.

Come and complete your Lenten Journey.

Easter Sunday ~ April 16, 9:00 a.m. Festive Celebration of the Resurrection Bring your keys, chimes and bells!

The Good Friday Offering

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

You see a letter like this every year from your presiding bishop with a request to support the Good Friday Offering. Why? Because we walk the walk of Christ when we walk in solidarity with the Christians of the Middle East, who keep the faith in the very land Jesus called home. We walk the walk of Christ when we advocate for the voices of those who work fearlessly for peace in the midst of unremitting violence. We walk the walk of Christ when we support ministries of healing, education, pastoral care, and interfaith cooperation rooted in a deep desire for a future full of reconciliation and hope.

The Good Friday Offering is our opportunity to add some of the substance of our lives to the substance of our prayers. You have heard me talk about the Jesus Movement so much in these past months. Jesus of Nazareth is not about the talk of faith. He is not about the walk of faith. He is about both the talk and the walk. The Jesus Movement is about the journey we share with a world desperate to see examples of the love of God lived out in each one of us to empower compassion and mercy for all people in all places.

The Jesus Movement is manifested through opportunities like the Good Friday Offering to stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers throughout the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

I ask you to join me in the journey of faith as part of the Jesus Movement in supporting the Good Friday Offering again this year.

May God bless you and the love we share in our Lord and Savior.

The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry ~Presiding Bishop and Primate ~The Episcopal Church

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The Significance of Holy Week ServicesPalm Sunday begins Holy Week, a time when we journey with Jesus to the Cross by experiencing Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem for the Passover festivities. The crowds welcomed Jesus with songs, Hosannas and palm branches. The service goes from a joyful tone to the dramatic reading of the Passion.

Maundy Thursday’s commemoration of the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples and His Mandate “to love as He loved,” is demonstrated through Jesus’s washing his disciples’ feet. The service ends in silence as the altar is “stripped”, the aumbry, where the reserved sacrament is stored, is left empty and open. The aumby candle which is always burning to signify the presence of Christ is extinguished. The church is bare and the “Light of Christ” is gone until the Easter Vigil or the first service on Easter.

Good Friday’s Stations of the Cross service literally lets us walk the path from the Garden to the Cross. The Stations invite us to be physically present with Christ. The Good Friday liturgy invites us into somber meditation and deep contemplation as we focus on the crucifixion and our sin.

The Easter Vigil takes us back in time and helps us remember our common history/stories and faith traditions. Hebrew Scripture, New Testament Scripture and music are the service elements.

Easter Day, service of the Resurrection, is the most high holy feast day in Christendom. A joyful celebration of Jesus’ resurrection and the promise of eternal life. Linda Barnes

Help is needed with the following:Palm Sunday~8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. 4 readers for the Passion, Chalicist, acolyte, and regular lector.Maundy Thursday ~ 7:00 p.m.- chalicist, acolyte, lector.Good Friday ~ 7:00 p.m. - chalicist, acolyte, 1 reader for the Passion, lector.Easter Vigil ~ 7:30 p.m. at St. James - 2 readers for the lessons.Easter ~ 9:00 a.m. - chalicist, acolyte, lector.

Please sign on the Holy Week Services sheet on the table in the Parish Hall or call Lynda in the church office. Many thanks for your help.

Palm Sunday ~ April 9, we will have the distribution of palms to the congregation and palm branches in place of flowers. The price for the palms is $80. If you would like to help defray some of the cost, please call the church office by Sunday, April 2. One person or several people can help to underwrite the cost. This can be given as a memorial, thanksgiving or just as a donation.

Easter Day ~ April 16, one service at 9:00am with a brunch/luncheon following. A sign-up sheet is on the parish hall table. Please help where you can. Any questions – see or call Linda Barnes 443-604-3402.

Offering Envelopes ~ In your St. Paul’s offering envelopes box, there is an envelope for Sunday, April 16 and one for Easter. They are two different offerings. The envelope for April 16 is used for our regular Sunday offering and the envelope marked “Easter” is to hold your special Easter offering.

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Easter Flowers ~ The church will be decorated with lovely spring flowers and the majestic Easter lilies with their trumpet like blooms heralding the Easter Season - the “Queen of Feast”. Please use the Easter Flower Memorial sheet that will be in your Sunday bulletin. Place the form and your donation in the alms basin or returned to the church office by Sunday, April 2.

April’s Beacon Theme: Creation, Recreation, and Resurrection The Bible’s first Creation narrative says, “So God created humankind . . . in the image of God he created them; . . . ” God says, ALL of His creation is good. In fact creation is Very Good. So out of the Word spoken came, order, night, day, suns, seas, land, plants, animals and people. All, by God’s Word were given power to re-create and relax. And a free will to bloom and blossom. Somehow, in the second Biblical story, evil slithered into creation and changed Creations relationship to the Creator.

Lent calls us to live the Word in our creative being and re-create (in our mind’s eye and in our heart) encountering the last days of the Word. This enables us to enter into the Light of Jesus and see a bit more clearly the Way. We come to understand that the Word and the Way are difficult and not without pain, suffering and death.

The Word and Way takes us to death and reconciliation. We can imagine and yes, wish for Resurrection. For life we can hope, because the Word spoken in Creation is the Truth and the Light. Therefore we can become reconciled to God and be made a new creation. Carrie Brown

Our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper was lively, filled with fellowship and fun. Many thanks to all who helped by donating the needed food items, all the cooks, those bringing hot food up from the basement kitchen, those giving of their time and all attendees. The food was delicious and it was wonderful to interact with our neighbors.

Polar Bear Plunge ~ a big thank you to all who contributed to the yearly plunge that took place the end of January in the chilly waters of the Chesapeake Bay. St. Paul’s always sponsors Jeff Spaulding as he takes the plunge for the Maryland Special Olympics. Jeff turned in a total of $1,343.00 from other sources along with St. Paul’s donation of $477. So glad we could help Jeff and this worthy cause.

Jeff, Greg and John exitingthe water at Sandy Pointon Wednesday evening.

Dear Family, Friends or Colleagues,I am writing to express my sincere thanks to you for your recent financial support of my involvement in the 2017 Polar Bear Plunge. My friends Greg Shipley (MSP) and John Newnan (Howard County PD) spent the week leading up to the Plunge on the crew setting up for the event. The weather this year was a little more moderate, but with the breeze, it was still quite “invigorating” (meaning cold). We

chose to Plunge on Wednesday evening as the Plunge activities started on Thursday (Cool Schools Plunge) and we had duties during all of the Plunge events that would keep us from plunging. As it turned out, it was the only time that that week there was no wind…good thinking, huh!

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We had a great event, raising nearly $2.5 mil for the Athletes of Special Olympics Maryland during the course of the weekend. Additionally, we enrolled our event in the Guinness Book of World Records for the “largest Polar Plunge in a 24-hour period”. Our official total of plungers for the period from Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon was 5,465. I am told that the current record is only 1,800 plungers, so we should have a good shot at the record. There are a lot of “hoops” to jump through to get certified, but we are well on our way! I will let you know how it turns out!

Please never forget…none of this would be possible without the generosity of wonderful people like you! The funds that you provide through your donations ensure that 7,311 Special Olympics athletes across Maryland have the resources that they need to participate in year-round sports training and competitions at no cost to them or their families. You are changing lives!

Thank you once again for your continued support of me and the incredible athletes of Special Olympics!

Most sincerely,Jeff SpauldingPerennial Plunger and Special Olympics

St. Paul’s Organist and Choir Members

(from left to right)

Organist, Anthony Edwards, Helen Tuel, Ginny Chandler, Dorothy Kitt, Carrie Brown, Phyllis Heffner, John Tuel and Bill Toole

The Choir is busy practicing for the Holy Week and Easter Services. They are learning new music, engaging in fellowship, serving in love, all to the glory of God.

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Need Help with a Small Task?   A Short Errand? St. Paul’s Church started the Helping Hands Program to meet the needs of those in our community who simply need a hand with tasks they can’t manage on their own.

 Call St. Paul’s Church 410-489-4411 to learn more

New volunteers always welcome!

The Diocesan Convention will be held May 12th and 13th at the Turf Valley Conference Center. This year’s preacher and keynote speaker is the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry. You do not have to be a delegate in order to attend. On Friday evening, Bishop Curry will speak at Goucher College. The lecture is free, however registration is required. Details can be found on the Diocesan webpage. The preconvention meeting will be at the Diocesan Center on Thursday, April 20 th at 7:00 p.m.

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EASTER LILIES ~ For Easter, April 16, St. Paul’s Church will be decorated with majestic Easter Lilies. “Queen of Feast”. All names will appear in the EASTER bulletin.Place your donation and this form in the collection plate or return it to the church office by Sunday, April 9, 2017.

In memory of: ________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

In thanksgiving by: ______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

In thanksgiving for: _____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Given by: ________________________________________

Amount___________________ _________I wish my donation to be used for altar linens.

Dallas Reeve passed on January 23, 2017. Her memorial service was held on Saturday, February 11, at St. James Episcopal Church in Monkton, her childhood parish. She is survived by her husband, Landon, children and grandchildren.May the soul of the faithfully departed rest in peace and light perpetual shine upon her.

Linda Barnes is extending an invitation to anyone who would like to join her on Thursday, June 15th

at Toby’s Dinner Theater in Columbia to see “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream-Coat.” Price is $55.00 per person. Time is 6:00 p.m. The production has received many favorable comments. Toby’s offers a fabulous and delicious buffet. This event is

sponsored by the Catonsville Shrine Club. If you are interested, please see or call Linda, 443-604-3402.

Help needed : Heather Fish, needs rides from Gaithersburg to TRRC and a return trip home. There is also a living arrangement, a lovely apartment, with this offer. Heather is a wheelchair-user, so it requires driving her van with a ramp. Dick Wilcher, and Susan Hughes having been providing transportation. Heather’s father recently passed, and her present aide is returning to New York. Remember: lodging opportunities provided. Contact Helen Tuel at TRRC #443-745-1777.

Each month a different theme will be featured in The St. Paul’s Beacon. You are invited to share in this ministry and write a reflection or thoughts on the theme of the month. The theme for May is “Family Ties.” Please submit your reflection to the parish office by the 20th of the month.

Stephen Ministry Stephen Ministry is alive and well! Yes, we are here for you. We want to be your caregiver in your time of loss, grief or pain. Our ministry is a one-to-one confidential relationship between the minister (the caregiver) and you (the care receiver). Please call Lee Hajek, 410- 442-1641 for more information.

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St. Paul’s Thrift Shop

Helpers are still needed to sort and restock on Monday and Wednesday mornings; help carry Mission bags out to the shed on Wednesday mornings, as you are available; and volunteers to sell in the shop at least one day per month on a regular basis. Shop is open (on at trial basis) Wednesday 11:00 – 2:00, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 -3:00.Phyllis Weston & Kathy Audia

St. Paul’s Nearly New

Thrift Shop!! Bargains Galore !!

Happy Birthday To:Christiana Keller April 05Kathleen Alexander April 07Phyllis Heffner April 12

Happy Anniversary To:Greg & Celeste Humphreys April 20Jeff & Holly Spaulding April 22Al & Pat Marquis April 28

Prayer List

Paul BourgDave & Trudi LawsonKeith PrenticePhyllis HeffnerDoris SharpBill WinebrunnerJoannie LeeKurt VonHurstAllene VonHurstAl ParkerCraig Johnson Joanne JohnsonJeffrey JohnsonLora HollandsPam SherfeyDebbie GardnerAnn BoylesSandra & Stanley NapierIrene Hordubay Beth HustedLynn CarrAllison PolegerSam LucasJohn LucasMary Wales-NorthPatsy MavityDonna ShurneyKaye RineerBelinda BlizzardJanice EslerMatt WillinghamSusie Gibson Herb GrabauJohn TuelDelphine KovalJohn BelousBill AaronAlbert Hutchison Katherine GilbeertzRyan MertonKathleen RumplNancy McIntoshBrian Thompson

James AnthonyThomas StevensJoan Selden Gil SeibelSuzanne BourgCarolyn PrenticeTeresa Regina HutchisonMary Ellen HutchisonKayleigh McIntoshHarless & Peggy H.Dottie WilliamsPat & Al MarquisHollyBevGerlinde Pflaumer-YeaterJeni CasseraLloyd Fennellthe Streaker familythe Reeve familyBeckyNathan BuckleyBen WestonWendy

Almighty and merciful Father, by the power of your command, drive away from me all forms of sickness and disease. Restore strength to my body and joy to my spirit, so that in my renewed health, I may bless and serve you, now and forevermore. AmenPastoral ConcernPastoral issues and concerns are important to

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us. Please contact the Rev. Susan S. Keller, at 301-785-1687 or revssk@yahoo.com.You may also call the church, 410-489-4411, Monday through Friday, 9:00-12:00. Parish Email: stpaulschurch-mtairy@verizon.netwww.stpaulsmtairy.org

VISION STATEMENT

Our Vision is: A community of faith ministering to those in need of justice, reconciliation, hospitality, sanctuary, and growth in their spiritual journeyMISSION STATEMENT

Our Mission is: To carry the good news of Jesus Christ into the community by word and deed and to help all people experience God’s presence intheir daily lives.

On Tuesday, March 21 st

Rev. Susan and the Pastoral Care Team attended the “Meet and

Greet” luncheon for area clergy and pastoral lay persons. This gathering was sponsored by the Western Howard County Senior Council and held in the Glenwood Center. The purpose of the meeting was to share information concerning the programs and activities offered through the Howard County Office of Aging and the Howard County Department of Recreation.The staffs of both programs, want to encourage and establish better relationships between the area churches and their facilities. Participants toured the facility and presenters from each department described their program’s purpose and goals. Information can be found on the Stephen Minister’s table in the Parish Hall.

Why is a car’s windshield so large and the rear view mirror so small? Because our past is not as important as our future. So, look ahead and move on.

St. Paul’s “A shining lightin the community”

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April 2017 ~ Church Calendar ** Good Friday ~ 1:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross at St. Michaels ** Holy Saturday ~ 7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil at St. James

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday1 11:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

2 9:00 a.m. Rite II

3 4 511:00-2:00Thrift Shop Open

6 11:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

7 11:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

8 11:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

Hospitality Hour following

6:30 p.m. Stephen Ministry Supervision at Calvary

6:00 p.m. Soup Dinner and Study

9 8:00 a.m. Rite I9:30a.m. Adult Forum

10:30. a.m. Rite II

10 11 12 11:00-2:00Thrift Shop Open

13 Maundy Thurs. 11:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

14 Good Friday 11:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

15 Holy Saturday11:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

Hospitality Hour following

7 :00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service at St. Paul’s

1:00 p.m. Stations of Cross ** 7:00 p.m. Good Friday Service

7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil at St. James

16 Easter 9:00 a.m. Service

17 18 1911:00-2:00Thrift Shop Open

2011:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

2111:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

2211:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

Brunch 6:30 p.m. Stephen Ministry Supervision at Calvary

6:30 p.m. Vestry Mtg.

23 / 30 8:00 a.m. Rite I9:30a.m. Adult Forum

10:30 a.m. Rite II

24 25 2611:00-2:00Thrift Shop Open

2711:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

2811:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

2911:30-3:00Thrift Shop Open

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Hospitality Hour Following

April 2017 ~ Service CalendarIf you are not able to work, please find your replacement

April 2,5th Sunday of Lent

Purple

April 9,Palm Sunday

Red

April 16,EasterWhite

April 23,2nd Sunday after Easter

White

April 30,3rd Sunday after Easter

White

9:00 AM 8:00 AM 10:30 AM 9:00 AM 8:00 AM 10:30 AM 8:00 AM 10:30 AM

Greeter/Usher

Al Yeater, Michele Samuel

Linda Barnes Linda Sharp

Linda Sharp, Carrie Brown

Dana Fritzges Linda Barnes

Linda SharpDana

Fritzges

Chalicist Ron AlexanderLeo Campion Pete

McIntosh Jeff SpauldingLeo

CampionPete McIntosh Jeff

SpauldingCarrie Brown

Acolyte(s) Ron AlexanderLeo Campion Pete

McIntosh Jeff SpauldingLeo

CampionPete McIntosh Jeff

SpauldingCarrie Brown

Lector Stephen JonesCharles Samuel Helen Tuel Dorothy Kitt

Irene Hillen Dick Wilcher Al Yeater Helen Tuel

Psalm Ron AlexanderCharles Samuel John Tuel Stephen Jones

Barb Campion Dick Wilcher Al Yeater Dick Wilcher

Prayers of the People Stephen Jones

Charles Samuel

Nancy McIntosh Al Yeater

Barb Campion Dorothy Kitt Irene Hillen John Tuel

Altar GuildDana Fritzges, Kathy

AudiaJoanne Honsberger, Barb

CampionDana Fritzges,

Kathy AudiaJoanne Honsberger,

Barb CampionSuzanne Bourg, Linda

Barnes

Coffee Hour Dorothy Kitt,Carrie Brown Phyllis Weston, Lee Hajek

Nancy McIntosh,Norma Prentice

Joanne Honsberger,Celeste Humphreys

Phyllis Heffner,Jeni Cassera

Counters Nancy & Pete McIntosh Linda Sharp, Linda Barnes

Celeste Humphreys,

John Tuel

Lynda Sheckels, Etta Lee Spaulding Irene & Jim Hillen

April 8: 10:00 a.m. ~ All Altar Guild help prepare for Holy Week

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April 15: 10:00 a.m. ~ All Altar Guild help prepare for Easter April 30: 11:30 a.m. ~ Remove Easter flowers

Easter Prayer

God of Promise and God of Hope,who through your great mercy

have granted us new birththrough the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,

we praise your wonderful name!God of Glory and God of Mightwho through your great powerhave granted us new strength

to endure all things through faith in Christ our risen King,we praise your wonderful name!

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