Fellow Parishioners:
Hey – Where did March go?
It appears, the first half of Lent has flown by, probably be-cause so much has been going on. We’ve had Pancake Supper, Ash Wednesday, St. Patrick’s Day, Lenten Soup Suppers, and Bishop Mary’s visit or something almost every week. Now to April with a slow down in the rains, the blossoming of blossoms, and oh yeah for us Holy Week and Easter. Easter is late this year because of the way the Church and not Astronomy calculates Spring. According to the science of it the Vernal Equinox was on March 20th and there was a full moon on that date. So, if we were scientific Easter would have been on the 24th this year. The Church has never been accused of being scientific, so they don’t calculate Spring they just say it starts on March 21st. The first full moon after March 21st is April 19th and so Easter is the Sunday fol-lowing that or the 21st. I bet you are all glad I made that clear for you, heh-heh.
The slate for the new Bishop has been announced and the election process will be happening in early June. The candidates profiles are on the Diocesan website for everyone to check out [CLICK HERE]. Please try and at least look at the candidates and if you have a preference let me and or our Lay delegates to the Episcopal election convention know so that your voice is heard. Janet and Ed Butler are our delegates to the Bishop’s election convention.
Here is a reminder to the upcoming Easter and Holy Week liturgies. We will have a Holy Thursday service at 5:30 on April 18th with the washing of the feet and stripping the altar. Our Good Friday Stations of the Cross will be at noon on Friday the 19th. The Church will be dark Holy Saturday and we will have a Sunrise Easter Vigil Service at 6:00 AM on Easter morning and then our Easter Service at 10:00 AM Easter day April 21st.
We continue with our Lenten theme for the next three weeks of trying to do at least one selflessly loving thing each week in your interactions with others. This can be a stranger or someone close to you. The intent is to open yourself to the love of the Holy Spirit and then share that with another through some action, being mindful of both the action and the moment before the action. God is present in the here and now. The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives always and we can be open to experiencing it. This Lent it is not about denying oneself but about opening oneself to the love God gives us to share.
Blessings, I am happy to be and remain:
Yours in Christ
Rob+
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church 