Loading...Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which giveth life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who liveth and reignth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Collect for the Fourth Sunday in Lent, Book of Common Prayer, p. 167
I love to eat, probably too much. I think I've been on one diet or another over most of my life, trying to be at a healthy weight and eat right. Most recently, I've returned to Weight Watchers, which seems to work best for me if I can stick to it. Most often, I become bored of it and give up.
What's most frustrating for me, especially as I've aged, is it seems like every bite of food shows up somewhere on my physical body! The old saying, "you are what you eat," appears to be true!
All joking aside, when we eat foods in the proper portion to nourish our bodies, we feel better and are less susceptible to illness and to injury.
Our Collect this week uses our understanding of food to illuminate our understanding of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the true food that nourishes us. When we take in Jesus' teachings and live them ourselves, we embody Jesus to the world. Love and peace is spread through the world.
Let's find ways to take in this true nourishment!
Blessings as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
This Sunday we welcome Suzanne Beamer to the pulpit. I realize it's unusual to have two guest preachers in a row; however,Suzanne said she always wanted to preach about the prodigal son. That's our Gospel lesson this week. I'm excited to hear what Suzanne has to say about this oft-told parable and so glad she is getting her wish to preach on it.
Parlor People We continue our series on prayer, using the Forward Movement pamphlet, Ten Ways to Pray. This Sunday, Wendy Day talks about body prayer and the labyrinth.
Godly Play will be March 13 and Easter Sunday, March 27.
Centering Prayer and Taize’, Tuesdays during Lent (March 8, 15), 5:15pm. Join us for ten minutes of centering prayer followed by an evening Taize’ service. For more on centering prayer, go to the Contemplative Outreach website at //www.centeringprayer.com/. For more about Taize’, go to //www.taize.fr/en
Newport Ministerium Lenten Series Wednesdays at Incarnation United Church of Christ, 47 N 4th St., Newport 5:30-6:15 is soup and bread supper. 6:15 program.
March 9 - Presenter - Gloria McPherson "Resentment and Bitterness"
March 16 - Presenter - Cheryl Dorman "Overspending"
Sign up for the Lenton Carbon Fast For more info and to sign up, visit: //www.macucc.org/carbonfast
Daylight Savings Time begins March 13!
Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour to be on time for church on March 13.
Easter Flowers. Honor or remember a loved one at Easter, March 27, with flowers. Donations are being accepted. Use your provided "easter Flowers" pledge envelope to submit your donation. Additional envelopes can be found at the back of the church. Deadline is March 20.
Holy Week and Easter Services
Tuesday, March 22, 7:00pm, Eucharist at St. Stephen’s
Thursday, March 24, 6:00pm Agape Meal; 7:00pm, Maundy Thursday Eucharist with Foot Washing, Stripping of the Altar and Vigil
Friday, March 25
Noon, Newport Ministerium Service in Newport Square
7:00pm, Good Friday Service with Eucharist from the Reserve Sacrament
Sunday, March 27, 9:30am, Easter Celebration
Men’s Breakfast - each Wed., 9am, Espresso Yourself Café.
Women’s Breakfast - March 9 and 23, 9am, May’s Railside.
Upcoming Meetings
Wed., March 9, 10:30am, Program and Mission Committee
Sunday, March 13, noon, Worship Committee
Wednesday, March 16, 7:00pm, Vestry
Sat. March 19, 9am-3pm, Vestry Retreat, Orchard Hill, Millerstown
The choir practices every Wednesday at 10:00am.
Lenten Food Collection. Bring your Food Bank donations to church during Lent and place them around the altar!
Join Hands items of the month are bibles. Preferably New Living Translation and also some in large print.
Exhibit to Honor Mary Landis. The Perry County Council of the Arts is planning an exhibit to honor the life of Mary Landis. If you have stories, information or memorabilia regarding her life, please contact Roger Smith (rog@perrycountyarts.org) or Missy Smith (missy@perrycountyarts.org).
Help People in Need when you buy your Groceries! See Gail Shull or Pat Szabo to purchase cards in various amounts to use at Giant, Mutzabaugh's, or Weis Stores. 5% of the cost of each card stays with the church and is used for outreach and mission projects.
The YWCA Greater Harrisburg is hiring a Transitional Housing Case Manager and a Prevention Education Specialist. Visit //www.ywcahbg.org/employment#.VtR5y-Z5zRk to view available positions, requirements and how to apply.
Sign the Arctic Faith Petition Members of the Episcopal Public Policy Network have advocated to Congress for the Arctic Refuge's permanent protection. Now, we are raising our voices once again through a faith petition to President Obama and Congress, urging our leaders to take swift action for this magnificent part of God's creation.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a national treasure that stands alone in its wildness, ecological integrity, beauty, and unique recreational opportunities. As an Episcopalian, you have a powerful voice in the effort to protect this incomparable landscape for future generations to enjoy.
The Episcopal Church has long opposed drilling in the Refuge not only because of our concern for and stewardship of God's creation, but also because of our commitment to standing with the Gwich'in Nation, the indigenous people who live in the Arctic who are mostly Episcopalians. The Gwich'in depend for their daily sustenance upon the Porcupine caribou herd, whose birthing patterns would be disrupted by oil exploration in the Refuge, ultimately threatening the survival of both the caribou and the Gwich'in Nation.
Take Action: Sign the Faith Petition to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
