The Cloak

"Rooted in The Jesus Movement: The ongoing community of people centered on following Jesus into loving, liberating, life-giving relationship with God (evangelism), with each other (reconciliation), and with creation (environmental stewardship)."

~ From Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church's Long Term Commitment To Racial Healing, Reconciliation, and Justice

On February 14, 2017 a team led by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry completed a process begun a year before through General Convention and approved a comprehensive strategic vision for the Episcopal Church titled "Becoming Beloved Community (see link below). It seeks to outline a journey, rather than merely programs, to bring all Episcopalians (not an easy task!) into a common sense of shared mission and effort rooted firmly in the Gospels in order to take action on matters of social, racial and economic justice at home and abroad. It rests on our Baptismal promises and specifically calls all of us into finding ways of 1) Telling the Truth, 2) Proclaiming the Dream, 3) Repairing the Breach, and 4) Practicing the Way of Love- creating a flexible process that responds to realities on the ground and the wisdom of partners in various places and contexts. This is exciting stuff. Please take a moment to look at both the Summary and Complete Plan documents below. This is a conversation we will be having together, and I look forward to your questions, comments and ideas for taking part in this gift to the whole vast and beloved community of the Jesus Movement.

Summary:
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/files/becoming_beloved_community_summary.pdf

Complete Plan
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/files/becoming_beloved_community_commitment_and_plan_1.pdf

Peace & blessings,

Chris+

Chili Cook-Off

THIS SUNDAY!

The 20th Annual Chili Cook-off is this Sunday, February 4th after the 10 AM service in Bolingbroke. Come to this perfect pregame event with your chili and/or your hungry taste buds. Vote for your favorite and perhaps do an EAGLES cheer or two.

First, second, and third place winners will be determined by a secret ballot vote of the Cook-Off attendees and incredible prizes will be awarded!

Souper Bowl Sunday is THIS SUNDAY, February 4th! St. Martin's and Christ Church, Ithan youth will sell soup mix jars as part of the national Souper Bowl of Caring efforts. All proceeds will benefit the Great Valley and Ardmore Food Cupboards. Purchases may be made before or after the St. Martin's services, during the Chili Cook-Off event in Bolingbroke, or at Christ Church, Ithan. The suggested donation is $10 per jar, though all donation amounts are appreciated.

Sunday School

On Sunday February 4, Sunday School will again begin at 9:30 a.m. Children and youth are invited to the large Sunday School room to continue building Lego creations depicting Bible stories. We are focusing on the life and teachings of Jesus in the New Testament. Between now and Easter we will select a Sunday when we can share these stories with the congregation upstairs in the Gurley Room. So keep watch to see when our children will again take the lead in helping all of us explore more deeply Christ's stories and ministries.

This Sunday the nursery will also be open starting at 9:30.

Bible Study

New Location: The weekly Bible study group will be meeting at Christ Church, Ithan, each Wednesday from now through February 7th at 7pm. Newcomers are welcome to join the discussion around the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John this Wednesday at 7 p.m. Copies of the book we are using are available for purchase or to borrow from St. Martin's. The conversation is just beginning and we'd love to have you join our spirited and spiritual conversation. This Bible Study is a shared ministry with Christ Church and St. Martin's. The evenings will offer an enlightening approach to Bible Study that's being conducted in other Diocesan churches.

Address for Christ Church, Ithan:
536 Conestoga Rd, Villanova, PA 19085

Visit https://approachingthegospelstogether.com for more information.

Ashes will be distributed during the mid-day and 7pm Holy Eucharist services on Wednesday, February 14th (yes, Valentine's Day).

Lenten Outreach Soup Cook

We will once again prepare homemade soup for the clients of The Great Valley Food Cupboard during Lent. Please join us at our first Group Cook at Bolingbroke on Saturday, February 17th from 1:00pm until 4:00pm. If you can't make it or would prefer to cook individually at home, sign up in the Gurley Room. Containers and instructions will be provided. Cupboard clients are already asking "Will there be soup this year?", let's respond with a resounding YES! If you have any questions, please contact Pam Faber.

Pilgrim's Prayer

Prayer and Poetry: When we are in need of spiritual solace some "are more likely to reach for poetry than the Bible or Book of Common Prayer. In its relevatory nature, the greatest poetry can give voice to deeply held feelings and beliefs we may not know we posses until the poem names them for us... Many poets invoke the mystery at the heart of both the creative process and faith." Within a small space they can reach very deep. Poetry can lead us as we chart our course and travel together.

I never saw a moor,
I never saw the sea;
Yet know I how the heather looks,
And what a wave must be.

I never spoke with God,
Nor visited in heaven;
Yet certain am I of the spot
As if the chart were given.

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/katherine-towler/prayer-and-poetry_b_1387832.html

Upcoming Events

Souper Bowl Sunday and Chili Cook-Off

THIS Sunday, 2/4

Worship Planning Meeting

Tuesday, 2/6, 5:30 p.m.

Staff Meeting

Wednesday, 2/7, 10:00 a.m.

Ash Wednesday

February 14th, 12:15 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Lenten Outreach Soup Cook

Saturday, 2/17, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Read and Ponder

this Week's Scriptures

The scripture readings for this Sunday are:

Isaiah 40:21-31
Psalm 147:1-12, 21c
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Mark 1:29-39

The Collect

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Old Testament

Isaiah 40:21-31

Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God"? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

The Response

Psalm 147:1-12, 21c

1 Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God! how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!

2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

4 He counts the number of the stars and calls them all by their names.

5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; there is no limit to his wisdom.

6 The Lord lifts up the lowly, but casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God upon the harp.

8 He covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth;

9 He makes grass to grow upon the mountains and green plants to serve mankind.

10 He provides food for flocks and herds and for the young ravens when they cry.

11 He is not impressed by the might of a horse; he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;

12 But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him, in those who await his gracious favor.

21 Hallelujah!

The Epistle

1 Corinthians 9:16-23

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel. For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

The Gospel

Mark 1:29-39

After Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.

Martin

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Saint Martin's Episcopal Church of Radnor

400 King of Prussia Road

Radnor, PA 19087

(610) 688-4830

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