| a weekly e-newsletter from Saint Martin's Church |
March 1, 2018
|
|
This Week
at
St. Martin's
Rite I Quiet Worship
8:00 a.m.
Parish Breakfast
8:30 a.m.
Choir Rehearsal
9:00 a.m.
Sunday School
9:30 a.m. in Bolingbroke
Rite II Worship with Music
10:00 a.m.
Confirmation Gathering
4:30 p.m.
Holy Eucharist
12:15 p.m.
Lenten Evening Worship at
Christ Church
|
|
Greeting
Diocese of Pennsylvania Anti-Gun Violence Committee
Mission Statement:
To stand against gun violence in our communities, and provide resources to the Diocese to address and reduce this destructive force among all of God's people. We commit to:
A) Serving as an active and relevant resource to the diocese, including individual parishes, deaneries, etc. in conjunction and cooperation with the Bishop and diocesan staff. B) Forming partnerships with organizations outside of the diocese. C) Deepening our understandings of the systems and sources that perpetuate gun violence. D) Having a practical, measurable, and sustained impact on ending gun violence in the name of Jesus Christ
After yet another massacre involving children last year, Bishop Gutierrez asked me to sit on a Diocesan Anti-Gun Violence committee to take meaningful action as the Episcopal Church in Philadelphia to address the rampant gun violence ravaging our communities nation-wide. This preventable public health catastrophe ought to transcend political maneuvering. Nonetheless, as followers of Jesus we are called to protect the innocent and confront corrupted systems that endanger human well-being wherever we find them and at whatever the cost.
There are many ingredients to this toxic and flammable brew. Social alienation and breakdown, mental illness, and conflicting ideas of citizen's rights all play a part. And while we must continue to address these things, they have always been with us and will continue to be so. The spark that ignites this conflagration, however, is the easy availability and lack of responsible oversight of weapons of mass destruction like assault rifles and the stupendously profitable trade in illegal guns. And these are something we can, and must address.
Laws on the books need to be vigorously enforced, and new laws providing for a far greater degree of regulation for these weapons must be passed. Those who make and flood our society with these products, and those who assist them must be more carefully scrutinized and held fully accountable- and take part in reducing this unnecessary carnage. This is common sense, and we are past the point of specious abstracted arguments.
Your wider Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Pennsylvania, our deanery of local churches, and many individual parishes are committing to taking a stand and taking action, and you are invited to participate. To learn more, and see where you might find a place to add your voice, please find several links below:
1) A 1-year
"Faithful Witness" program our DioPa Anti-Gun Violence Committee has adopted for 2018-19.
2) A flyer for a
"Demand A Ban" public event on Wed., March 21 at 10:00PM.
Relevant websites:
3)
heedinggodscall.org
4)
ceasefirepa.org
I welcome your comments and ideas, as this is a broad and common effort across our Diocese. All members of our congregation are warmly invited to join in this effort in any way you feel expresses your commitment to God's vision of peace. The DioPa Anti-Gun Violence Committee especially invites lay persons whose voices and input are genuinely welcome.
Peace & blessings,
Chris+
|
Parish Breakfast
THIS SUNDAY!
 Feasting, fellowship and worship is on the agenda for this Sunday. The Parish Breakfast starts at 8:30am in Bolingbroke. Bring your appetite and have some fun!
|
|
This week children and youth will gather at Bolingbroke for Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. to pray, read the bible, and be creative! Look for the timeline in the hall, across from the small Sunday School room keeping track of our progress from Christmas to Easter. Each week all ages learn more about the lessons of Jesus. Two weeks ago the focus was on healing. Last week were parables and the Greatest Commandment, and this week will be Jesus' miracles. Lego creations reflect the New Testament stories as interpreted by St. Martin's children and youth. Stop by the large Sunday School room after worship on any Sunday morning and see the scenes the children gladly share.
The nursery will be open this Sunday starting at 9:30 a.m.
|
|
Lenten Outreach Soup Cook
 Thank you to Abby Thomas for making soup at home this past week. Her chicken vegetable soup was delivered to The Great Valley Food Cupboard along with some tomato rice and minestrone. We still are in need of volunteer cooks over the next several weeks of Lent. Pick a week that you'd like to make soup, sign up in The Gurley Room and bring it to church with you the following Sunday. Containers and instructions are in the foyer outside of the church office. One pot of soup makes about 5 quarts which is all we need to make several people at the Cupboard very happy and feeling loved. If you have any questions contact Pam Faber.
|
|
Demand the Ban
This Nonviolent Civil Disobedient Event will take place on Wednesday, March 21st 10:00AM in Philadelphia
The Diocesan Anti-Gun Violence Committee invites you to an action to demand the ban of semi-automatic assault wea
pons that is taking place
here in Philadelphia on March 21st. Join others from across the region at Arch Street Friends Meeting House, where an assault weapon will be melted down and redesigned as a gardening tool (Isaiah 2:4), and then march to Senator Pat Toomey's office. This event is sponsored by CHARLES Foundation, Delaware County United for Sensible Gun Policy, Heeding God's Call to End Gun Violence, Raw Tools, and The Simple Way.
Please keep those participating in your prayers.
If you are interested in joining the Diocesan Anti-Gun Violence Committee, please contact The Reverend Canon Sarah Hedgis - [email protected].
back to top
|
Easter Egg Time is Approaching!
Even as we journey through Lent, Easter Sunday is just down the road. We are asking anyone with empty, clean eggs to bring them into church and deposit them in the bin in the hall next to the small Sunday School room. Better yet, please fill the eggs with candy (no nuts please) and leave the filled eggs to be used for the Easter Egg hunt after the worship service on April 1. Bags of candy are also welcome donations, to make Easter Sunday special for our children.
|
Creator of attraction and desire, from the sub-atomic to the celestial: Your Divine Love is always calling to us. May we remember to open our hearts, quiet our minds, and attend to your still, small voice, so that our lives together become more faithful witnesses to the beauty you have placed within us, and to the power that beauty has to transform the world. Amen.
|
 Do you want to be an advocate for those living with addiction? Learn and be inspired in a day of breakout sessions and panel discussions with keynote speaker Susan Ford Bales.
Saturday, March 3, 2018
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Cost: $20
(includes lunch)
All Saints', Torresdale
9601 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19114
|
|
| |
| |
|
Upcoming Events
Parish Breakfast
THIS Sunday, 3/4, 8:30 a.m. in Bolingbroke
Confirmation Gathering
THIS Sunday, 3/4, 4:30 p.m.
Lenten Evening Worship
Wednesday, March 7th, 6 p.m. at Christ Church, Ithan
(see full schedule above)
|
Read and Ponder
this Week's Scriptures
The scripture readings for this Sunday are:
Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
John 2:13-22
The Collect
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Old Testament
Exodus 20:1-17
Then God spoke all these words:
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work-you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
The Response
Psalm 19
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork.
2 One day tells its tale to another, and one night imparts knowledge to another.
3 Although they have no words or language, and their voices are not heard,
4 Their sound has gone out into all lands, and their message to the ends of the world.
5 In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber; it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again; nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.
8 The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear
and gives light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, sweeter far than honey,
than honey in the comb.
11 By them also is your servant enlightened, and in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can tell how often he offends? cleanse me from my secret faults.
13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me; then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
The Gospel
John 2:13-22
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
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.
back to top
|
 Participate in The Cloak
We invite your input into The Cloak. If you would like to contribute your voice to "From the Congregation," or if you would like to share a prayer, an idea, an essay, a photo, or something else, please let us know!
Contribute to The Cloak.
back to top
|
| Saint Martin's Episcopal Church of Radnor
400 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087 (610) 688-4830 |
|
| |
|
