March 3, Last Sunday after the Epiphany

The Holy Eucharist, 8 a.m., Rite I
Inquirer's Class with Fr. Joel, 9 a.m.
The Holy Eucharist, 10 a.m., Rite II

Church School 10 a.m. | Child Care 9:45 a.m.
The Collect:
O God, who before the passion of your only ­begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. A men.

This week’s lessons: Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-36

Epistle 2 Corinthians 4:1-2
Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
The Gospel | Luke 9:28-36
The Transfiguration

Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

[On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not." Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here." While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.]
Schedule for the week of March 3

Monday, 6:30 p.m., Girl Scout Troop 816

Tuesday, 10 a.m., Healing Eucharist
Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., Julian of Norwich Prayer Group
Tuesday, 12 p.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite 11
Tuesday, 1 p.m., Bible Study
Tuesday, 5 p.m., Pancake Supper
Tuesday, 7 p.m., Bible Study

Wednesday, 12 p.m., Ash Wednesday Service
Wednesday, 7 p.m., Ash Wednesday Service

Thursday, 7 p.m., ECW meeting

Rector’s office hours, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 11 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

See the parish's online calendar at standrews-edwardsville.com/events !
The Season of Lent: Ash Wednesday, March 6,
through Holy Saturday

The Season of Lent is upon us. It begins in the coming week on Ash Wednesday, March 6, and continues through Holy Saturday, April 20. The schedule of Lenten services at St. Andrew's is below.

St. Andrew's services during Lent
March 6, Ash Wednesday services, 12:15 p.m. and 7 p.m.
March 10, 17, 24, 31, and April 7 | Sundays 1 - 5 in Lent
April 14, Palm Sunday
April 18, Maundy Thursday service, 7 p.m.
April 19, Good Friday service, 7 p.m. | Stations of the Cross, 12:15 p.m.
April 20, Holy Saturday Easter Vigil, 8 p.m.

Presiding Bishop Curry recently released his Lenten message indicating  “It is a season of making a renewed commitment to participate and be a part of the movement of Jesus in this world.” His full message is here .
The Passing of Father Pearson

Death came to Father James H. Pearson, St. Andrew’s rector, at around 11:15 on the morning of Monday, January 8 th , 1968, in the church rectory. He had been hospitalized during the previous week for what was described as a “leg ailment,” possibly a thrombosis that broke free and caused his fatal heart attack. He was 45 years old and unmarried.

A Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated at St. Andrew’s on the morning of January 10 th , with Bishop Arthur Chambers as celebrant and 12 priests serving as crucifer, thurifer, accolytes, and other officiants. Parts of the liturgy had an austere, even menacing character that has disappeared from the funerary language that we use today. Consider this excerpt from the Offertory:

  • “O Lord, Jesu Christ, King of Glory, deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of hell, and from the bottomless pit. Deliver them from the lion’s mouth, that hell swallow them not up, that they fall not into darkness, but let Michael, the standard-bearer, bring them into the holy light, which thou didst promise of old unto Abraham….”

Following the Mass, Father Pearson’s body was taken to Nashotah House, where he had prepared for the priesthood following combat service in World War II as a lieutenant in the Marine Corps. There, it lay in state in the Chantry Chapel of the Chapel of St. Mary, the Virgin. On Thursday morning, January 11 th , the seminary’s choir sang the hauntingly beautiful Russian Orthodox “Kontakian of the Departed” (Click here to listen to an online performance of this lovely hymn by the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge.), after which the graveside Office was conducted by Bishop Chambers in the seminary cemetery. The Kontakian begins, “Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy Saints.” So may it be for Father Pearson. -Jim Weingartner
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper: March 5 from 5 to 7

Come to enjoy pancakes and sausage in the Parish Hall prepared and served by the Men of St. Andrew's. Ticket cost: $7 for adults and $5 for children. Tickets can be purchased at the door. 
Announcements

St. Andrew’s Quilt Guild's Annual Show Begins Friday, March 1
Come to see heritage quilts and the latest creations in the fabric arts. It’s an amazing show that fills the nave, the Cloister Walk and Pearson Hall. A Quilt of Valor will be given out each day at 1 p.m. $5 admission per day. Show hours for each day are below.

  • Friday, March 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Sunday, March 3, from 1 to 4 p.m.

ECW to Meet Thursday, March 7, at 7 p.m.
ECW invites all the women in the parish to come to Pearson Hall to discuss our Lenten Retreat to be held later in March.
 The St. Andrew's Week-End Update , a weekly emailed newsletter, is designed to keep parishioners up to date on church activities. Please send news items to Editors Marianne Cavanaugh and Jane Weingartner by 11 a.m. on Tuesday to have them appear in the following Friday's newsletter.