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O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Collect for Sixth Sunday of Easter, P. 225 Book of Common Prayer
The Sundays in Easter this year emphasize love - love of God, love of self, love for all. This Sunday is no exception.
Have you ever had your plans upended, only to discover upon looking back that the way things worked out was really better than you had planned? We might say that is a coincidence. Darlene Amsler calls them God-incidences. I saw this often when I worked in hospice. I'd plan my day of visits with the nurses. We were supposed to not visit on the same day. I especially remember one time when I got to a home, only to find the nurse was there. I was muttering about how she wasn't supposed to be there; however, when I got inside, I learned the family had called the nurse because there was a change in the patient's condition. We were both needed to be with the family and with each other. It was definitely a God-incidence and worked better than our human brains could plan.
Our Collect also reminds us that God's promises "exceed all that we can desire." God's promises are even better than we can plan for ourselves. The challenging part for us, at least for me, is in trusting that this is true.
May we continue to love more deeply - love God more deeply; love others more deeply; love ourselves more deeply; love all of creation more deeply. May we know that obtaining God's promises is better than we can desire!
Love, Rebecca+
Announcements
All services will be available through Zoom online or by phone as well as in-person.
Online: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85722557280
Meeting ID: 857 2255 7280 PW: 5676514
or Call In: +1 929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 857 2255 7280
Please include the following in your daily prayers.
The Rev. Joe Mitchell, Scot, Randy, Margo, Matthew, Meta, Jim, Tootser, Jacob, Stephanie, Chris, Wendy, Deb, Scott, Laura, Jai, Nelson, Sue, Taran, Zach, Julie, Charles, Tiffany, Jill, Karrie, and Balda.
A yard work day is planned for Saturday, May 22, 9am - noon.
We'll have a special service at St. Stephen's on Saturday, May 29 at 10am with a cemetery walk.
Coffee Hour will resume on June 6 - outdoors and with items individually wrapped.
Friends of Newport Farmer's Market, Church of the Nativity, Sundays, 12 - 4pm. May 30, June 27, July 25, August 29, September 26, October 31, & November 21.
Body is a Temple, May 12 & 26, 5:30pm
Online: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82130156249?pwd=dEZaN252S0N3eFh0aDRTTEV4cHlmZz09
Meeting ID: 821 3015 6249 PW: 782337
or Call In: +1 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 821 3015 6249 Password: 782337
Geraniums for Pentecost
Donations for geraniums to decorate the church for Pentecost are being taken until May 16. Plants should cost $4-5. Envelopes are at the back of the church. You can make them “in memory of or in honor of” someone.
Tri County Community Action needs your help with a short survey!
The survey helps assess the community's needs to determine where to invest resources to fight poverty. Go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TCCA2021 to complete the survey.
Shaped by Faith Celebrating our Stories Wednesday, May 12, 19 & 26, 6 -7pm
Topics will include preserving oral history, creating parish history exhibits, writing your parish history, and creating and maintaining a parish archive. Please contact The Rev. Canon Chris Streeter with any Shaped by Faith questions by email: cstreeter@diocesecpa.org
2021 CCU Highmark Walk during the month of May
This event is part of the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community. Due to the pandemic, Highmark and CCU are encouraging walkers to walk on their own or in small, properly distanced groups. Go to www.ccuhbg.org/walk to join an event, host an event of your own, or make a donation.
HELP Ministries Golf Tournament, Monday, June 7, 7:15am registration Sunset Golf Course, 2601 Sunset Drive, Middletown
For more info or to register call 717-230-9550 or visit www.ccuhbg.org/golf
Picture Perry, Help Shape Perry County’s Future by Completing Surveys
Visit https://www.tcrpc-pa.org/picture-perry and completing up to all nine surveys to help shape Perry County’s Comprehensive Plan.
The Poor People’s Campaign for a virtual Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington to take place online Monday, June 21, 2021.
Link for the online march will be available soon. Plans are being made for an in-person March on Washington in June 2022.
Perry County Animal Rescue 12th Annual Pet Walk and Fun Fest, Sunday, May 23, 12pm -4pm, Little Buffalo State Park
Local vendors, food, lots of dogs. Also a Rabies and Microchip Clinic from 11am -2pm, $15 Rabies vaccine; $30 Microchip. You can make monetary donations to Joanne Pinaire or by mailing a check payable to PCoAR, 379 Sugar Run Road, Millerstown, PA 17062
Active, baptized members of the parish seeking their first college degree are encouraged to apply for the Kyle Weller Scholarship by June 1.
Applications and further requirements are available at
/digital_faith/documents/3263855 for the letter and /digital_faith/documents/3252600 for the application.
The Stevenson School for Ministry Courses
Words of the Bible, Begins Tuesday, June 1, 7pm
This online class introduces the most important theological words of the Old and New Testaments. Students will learn about the three original languages of the Bible - mostly Hebrew and Greek, but also Aramaic - and the terms in each language that are most important for understanding Scripture’s message about God. Increase your biblical word power through readings, lectures, and class discussions. The class will be fun, engaging, and useful for preaching, teaching, and personal discipleship. Faculty: The Rev. Dr. Collin Cornell
Becoming Beloved Community, Saturdays, beginning June 5, 10am
Using the framework of the Episcopal Church’s “Becoming a Beloved Community” this course on antiracism will lead participants through four pillars rooted in the Baptismal Covenant: Telling the Truth about the Church and Race; Proclaiming the Dream of Beloved Community; Practicing the Way of Love; Repairing the Breach in our Churches; and Repairing the Breach in Society and Institutions.
Faculty: Kevin Barron and Dr. Marion Schwartz Cost: FREE Registration info at a later date.
