THE DOVE
March 2017


Ash Wednesday
March 1
This year, the holy day of Ash Wednesday falls on March 1. In order to provide times that might be convenient for a variety of schedules, we will observe Ash Wednesday with the Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes at 7:00 in the morning, 12:00 noon, and 5:30 p.m.  Please note that there is no celebration of the Eucharist that day at the regular 9:00 a.m. time.  This schedule has been created in the hope that some people-especially, perhaps, those who work nearby-might be able to come to the Eucharist over the noon hour, and that the later afternoon service will be more convenient to families with school-aged children, and some commuters.  Please make a special effort to participate in one of these celebrations in order that, as the Book of Common Prayer exhorts us, we might all make a "right beginning" to the holy and poignant season of Lent.
Daily Eucharists
Thursday Morning Lenten Eucharist and Breakfast
As we move into and through Lent, don't forget the quiet, thoughtful Eucharists that are offered every day in the church. The liturgies are celebrated at 9:00 a.m. each day, save Thursday, and are a perfect way to be renewed and refreshed during the week.  On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the Eucharist follows traditional patterns: on Wednesdays and Fridays, a Contemplative rite is offered. All provide nourishment during this holy time.
 
On Thursdays, the Eucharist is celebrated at 7:00 a.m., and, during Lent, is followed by a lovely and lively breakfast in the Library. During the rest of the year, this service includes a healing rite, but we suspend that practice during Lent in order to provide time for fellowship and food following the Eucharist. If you have never attended the early service on Thursdays, this would be a great year to make it part of your Lenten journey. 
 
Please join us any day of the week, as part of your Lenten experience, to give thanks to God for all of life's blessings and delights, and to raise up your sorrows and concerns into God's care.
Special Healing Service
March 19
On Sunday, March 19, at the 9:00 Eucharist, we will celebrate a special candlelit liturgy in the Great Room that will include music from the Celtic and/or Taize traditions accompanied by guest instrumentalists, as well as a unique healing service. Many will remember the healing rites we have offered during Lent the last few years, and the strong response to those experiences has prompted us to schedule another such moment of grace and of experiencing God's healing love. The rite, which will involve special prayers, laying on of hands, and anointing with holy oil, is intended for people experiencing all sorts of challenges and changes, frustrations and joys, fears and hopes, as well as for people of all ages. Please join in this special service, and invite friends or neighbors whom you feel might be strengthened by God's healing touch and compassionate presence.
Adult Forum for March
by Chris Hardman

In January and February Fr. Jason helped us to "Dig Deep" into our Anglican/Episcopal tradition.  Each session was a unique look into some very interesting and difficult moments in church history that has led us to be the church we are today-a church of the "middle way." In March we are going to look at how new discoveries in science can deepen our understanding of our faith and how our church of the "middle way" is best positioned to benefit from this new knowledge.
Bright & Beautiful Bash 2017!
The Bright and Beautiful Bash will take place on May 12 th at 700 p.m. at Church of the Holy Comforter. The celebration will take place in both the Great Hall and under a tent on the north lawn of the parish campus. Bright & Beautiful Bash tickets are $100 per person and include Food & Drinks, Raffle and Silent Auction, and a live Paddle Raise. 

The DJs from Toast and Jam will spin the tunes  while we dance the night away!  Catering by Grateful Bites is sure to please the palate and our Silent Auction offerings are designed to inspire spirited bidding. The evening is a wonderful opportunity to shine a spotlight on just how fantastic our CHC and ATB&B families are as we raise money together!  Read more here...
...in the vineyard
It is with deep sadness that we report the death of Edith Love, on Sunday morning, February 12, after a brave struggle with various health issues. Our hearts and love go out especially to her sister, Barbara, who has been here from Oakland, CA, for several weeks caring for Edith, and to her many friends, in particular our own Elizabeth Andrews. Edith's funeral will take place on Saturday, March 25, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Comforter.
 
We also deeply mourn the death of John Beatty, father of Eric Beatty on February 7.  John, who was 80, will be interred at Holy Comforter later this spring, and a celebration of his life will take place at his home parish of St. James the Less in Northfield on July 7.  Please keep in your prayers Eric, Janet, and their family, Eric's mother Marila and siblings JT and Emily, and the extended Beatty family.
 
We are grieved to announce the death of Diana Reid late on February 22 after a long illness. We will celebrate Diana's life on Tuesday, March 7, with a funeral at 2:00 in the Church, followed by a reception in the Great Room. Diana, a lifelong member of Holy Comforter, will be interred in the Cloister Columbarium. Our hearts go out to all who loved her, most especially to her beloved sister Alice Magos.
 
Our profound love and prayers go out to Bill and Ginny Furst on the death on February 15 of their daughter, Laurie Miller, in Colorado. Laurie, who grew up at Holy Comforter, was married to Ronald, and had, with great courage and perseverance, engaged and dealt with a variety of medical issues over the years. There will be a celebration of her life in Colorado, and we will also offer a memorial service here, at 11:00 on March 18. Please hold Ginny, Bill, Ron, and their extended family in your hearts.
 
We are also sad to report the death on Thursday, February 23, of Bill McLeod, long-time member of the parish. Bill's funeral will take place Saturday, March 4, at 11:00 a.m., with a reception to follow.
 
May God embrace all of these remarkable men and women with light and love and peace, and comfort those who loved them.
 
In happier news, congratulations are due to Bill and Ann Pearce on the birth of their newest grandchild: Ada Mae Pearce was born February 13, at approximately 11:00 a.m.! The joyous parents are Charlie and Sarah Pearce, and Ada Mae joins excited siblings Graham, Dakin, and Charlotte. God's blessings be upon the entire Pearce family.
 
It is with delight that we also welcome into the world Charlotte Lynne Crawford, daughter of Spencer and Tiffany Crawford.  Charlotte arrived on February 23rd at a healthy 7 lbs. Proud grandparents are Steve and Cissy Crawford, and also welcoming Charlotte are delighted aunts Sarah Crawford and Carrie Cazolas, and excited cousins Connor and Mattie.  Congratulations to the whole family, and welcome, Charlotte!
 

Men's Fellowship Series
The Rector's Column 
A Holy Lent

by The Rev. Dr. Jason L. Parkin, Rector

     "I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church,        to the observance of holy Lent, by self-examination     and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial;      and by reading and meditating on God's holy                Word."
                            Liturgy for Ash Wednesday,                                             Book of Common Prayer, p. 265
 
These words, which constitute part of the Exhortation read by the Celebrant to the gathered congregation on Ash Wednesday, sum up in a concise fashion what we might call the traditional elements of the observance of a "holy Lent." As all know, Lent is a penitential season, one in which we are called by God to ponder the directions our lives have taken, and to address those areas in which our actions, words, and thoughts have strayed from the life of faithfulness and compassion for which we were fashioned by God.  Such self-examination, and the renunciation of beloved delights or activities, has become a standard way for many Christians to move through the season of Lent. And, indeed, such practices-from spending more time in prayer to being more conscientious about coming to church, from giving up chocolate to reading through portions of Holy Scripture-truly are ways to purify our lives during this holy time.
 
But Lent is more than a time of penitence:  it is also-and, in the early centuries of the Church, was originally-a time of preparation: of preparation for baptism at the Great Vigil of Easter, and, above all, for the inexpressible joy and delight of the Resurrection celebrated on Easter. As a result, it is more than appropriate to journey through Lent with a sense of solemn joy :  joy that God has come into the world in Jesus; joy that we have been offered a new world and a new way of being; joy that at the end of Lent comes the new life for which we have been preparing. In recent years, it has become common in many churches to talk of preparing for Easter during Lent not by forsaking some action or object, but, rather, by taking on something new. And, as we all travel the road of the next few weeks, I would encourage all of us to do this, and to try something new this Lent:  to participate in the Lenten programs on Wednesday evenings; to attend a weekday Eucharist or assist in the Church School for the season; to pray each morning for the people who normally sit near you in church or to make a conscious choice to welcome the visitor or sojourner in our midst on Sundays. The list of possible "additions" to our spiritual lives is, of course, endless; and yet, each of us can surely find one or more ways in which we can be stretched-with solemn joy-as we prepare ourselves and our parish community for the wonders and delights to be revealed to us as the season of Lent unfolds and culminates in Holy Week.  I pray all of you a blessed, focused, holy, and provocative Lent.
A Wizard of Oz 
Spirituality!
by Chris Hardman

What does it mean to "know God?" Many of us know a lot "about God," but do we really "know God?" In more modern terminology we might ask this question: Do you experience the "Presence of God" in your daily life?  That is an important question because most of us avoid experiencing that "presence" without realizing it.    Read more here...
The Gift of Lent 
by Pastor Heath Howe, Family Ministries

This year, as I discern and pray about how I will honor the gift of the season of Lent, I find myself pondering, "How can I, and we, as Christians, spend the season of Lent so that are prepared for the life ahead of us come Easter morning?" I ask this because I have learned that Lent is not a time to prove ourselves to God, nor to earn God's love. It is not simply a convenient block of time to lose a few pounds or break a bad habit. It is a gift. A gift of time given to us by God so that we can clean up, build strength, or rest for what is next.
"K" is for Kindness 
by Mary Johnson, Youth Ministries and Director of All Things Bright and Beautiful

Some corporate offices around the country are offering a refresher course to their employees under the heading of Social Emotional Learning. My daughter Molly sent me the article recently that highlighted this effort. It caught Molly's attention because it features the beloved characters of Sesame Street, a fond memory from her childhood. In the arena of Early Childhood Education, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a critical component of the curriculum. The use of the name itself did not appear in educational contexts until 1994 even though the core competencies of relationship skills, self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, and relationship skills were being taught when Sesame Street debuted November 10, 1969. So how did Sesame Street teach Social Emotional Learning?
Love Thy Neighbor
by Charlotte Long, Youth Ministries 
 
Believe it or not, the 2017 High School Service Trip planning has been in the works since September!  This year, we will be travelling with the same organization as the last 3 years - Appalachian Service Project, or, more fondly, ASP. ASP has been in the Appalachian Mountains since the 1970's, giving them a deep respect and connection to the culture and the people who call it home.  When I was in High School, I travelled with my Youth Group on the ASP trip every summer.  These trips instilled in our group a fierce love of the country, the desire to actively assist those less fortunate, and the ability to see strangers from very different backgrounds as nothing less than our brothers and sisters in Christ.  What is it to love a neighbor?  Read more here...
Join Us for Lenten Evensong
by Derek E. Nickels, DMA Director of Music

Praying the Daily Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer has long been considered by many to form the basis of Anglican spirituality. In the sixteenth century, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556), combined two daily monastic services (Vespers and Compline) and put them in a book to be used by both clergy and laity alike, The Book of Common Prayer . Our annual Lenten Evensong is fast approaching on Sunday, March 12th at 5:00 p.m. This year's service will include the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D major, by the English composer Charles Hubert Hastings Parry and selections from Part Two of George Frederic Handel's famous Messiah.
What is a Stephen Minister? 
What isn't a Stephen Minister?

A Stephen Minister IS:
  • A caring Christian who has been trained to listen
  • Someone to walk WITH you during a tough time
  • Someone to focus only on YOU and your thoughts and feelings
  • A trustworthy confidant who will keep everything you say and who you are confidential
  • Someone who will meet with you faithfully for as long as you need the support
A Stephen Minister IS NOT:
  • A counselor or therapist
  • The problem solver
  • A casual friend
How do I contact a Stephen Minister? If you have any questions or would like to discuss a Stephen Minister relationship, please contact one of the clergy or please call either  Carrie Smart , Stephen Ministry Referral Coordinator 847-501-3954 or Stephen Leader Team Coordinator,  Jean Britt 847-256-2372.