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Practicing Easter (and flying kites)
What's hard for me about Easter is that the climactic moment of Easter Day comes - with all its gorgeous flowers and shining brass, its grand music and big crowds, its joy and gladness - and then it fades so quickly. The flowers of spring are fragile - when cut, they don't last long. The crowds in church don't come back for the next Sunday. How do we keep the spirit of Easter alive?
Last Sunday, our guest preacher, Tricia Lyons, spoke inspiringly about the spirit of Easter in her family. After suffering a tragic loss, the spirit was lost for some years. They finally got it back by flying kites one Easter Day: feeling the tug on the string as the kite was lifted up by unseen forces of wind. Often, we need to believe in things we cannot see! The kites were lifted high and soared into the sky, just as Jesus was lifted up to live again. Now, Tricia keeps a kite in her car at all times, so she is ready whenever she needs to recapture the spirit of Easter. Tricia calls it, "Practicing Easter."
How do you "practice Easter" in your own life?
Are there certain places that restore the spirit of Easter for you - the roaring seashore, or a majestic mountain? Such beautiful places do inspire me. But when I need to recapture the spirit, the best thing for me to do is to do something kind, something loving and unexpected. When I visit a lonely person, or bring a treat to someone who is suffering, I find I am the one who is helped. My spirit is revived. My joy comes back. When I feel restored, it's not hard to believe that The God of Jesus is the one who raises the dead to life, who breaks the bonds of sadness, anxiety, or regret, and sets us free.
How do you "practice Easter" in your own life?
JBM
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Christian Formation for Children and Youth ...
Children's Formation
This
Sunday, April 15, the children will gather and explore some of the resurrection stories and create an Easter story mural. There are wonderful images in the various appearances of Jesus - from his encounter with Mary in the garden, walking the road to Emmaus, appearing to the disciples in the upper room, and breakfast on the beach. In each story there are similar things which are experienced about Jesus. Come find out what those are.
Who knew that playing a game of Jenga could teach us about Easter. Join us on April 23 for another night of learning, games, and prayer. Are focus will move to learning about the Holy Spirit as we get closer to the feast of Pentecost.
P.R.A.Y. Events
Sandy Spring Adventure Park
Sunday, May 20
2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $60 est.
Sign up
here no later than May 2.
Spend a spring afternoon in the trees - climbing, overcoming obstacles, and zip lining. The park has multiple courses each with different degrees of expertise - from simple and low to the ground, to high in the trees with difficult challenges.
L Sue von Rautenkranz
Children and Youth Formation Coordinator
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Small Groups ...
Soul Sisters- April 14, 2018 @ 9:30 a.m.
Soul sisters will meet on April 14, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. in the back of the sanctuary.
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Parish Notice ...
HELP A REFUGEE FAMILY GET SETTLED HERE
St. Dunstan's is rallying to furnish an apartment for a newly-arriving refugee family who has nothing. We need everything from forks to furniture - in good condition. Please see what you could donate, and go to the link
here to sign up.
Contact
Fred Bentley (202)215-8340 or
Ray Donnelly (301)320-6146 with questions. Small items can be left in the choir room at church (through the beanbag room). Contact
Fred Bentley about pickup of large items.
Needed:
Furniture - Kitchen items - Linens and Household Supplies - Toiletries - Cleaning Supplies
When our family arrives, we'll be organizing a move-in weekend, and gathering additional items appropriate to our family, such as baby supplies, food, and clothing.
You can make life better for a family struggling to get a new start in a new country. As Jesus said, "I was a stranger, and you took me in."
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Spreading the word about St. Dunstan's ...
" Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you..."
Matthew 28:19-20a
This passage, known as the Great Commission, is the backbone of Evangelism. It will provide a backdrop for our adult formation studies on
April 15th and
May 20th at 9:50 am.
We will try to define what Evangelism is and how it is practiced here at St Dunstan's. We will examine how Evangelism transforms us in our communities and personal lives as we recognize how wide and diverse are God's gifts and our understanding of these gifts. How conscious are we of the fruits of the spirit ----Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self -Control, present in our lives and have we told anyone about them? Do we see this in our spiritual journey? Where and when did it start?
Our discussions will enlighten us to the fact that Evangelism is a spiritual practice that can develop a process of living that opens Christian fellowship with one another.
Eugene N. Wright
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Church Picnic ... Save the Date!
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Hopes and Prayers on our Journey ...
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 I
n Need of Healing:
Curt Shively
,
husband of Susan Burkhalter
,
in nursing care
Ken Farnsworth
, at home in Westwood Towers
David Keegan
, friend of Tom and Rosemarie Barrett, fighting cancer
Pam Plaisance
, fighting cancer, cousin of Sue von
Samantha Barnes,
ill,
sister of Muriel Croston
Ray Bridson
, friend of the MacKnights, fighting cancer
DJ Crane
, family friend of Trudy Surut, fighting cancer
Jay Karlin
, in nursing care
Betty Bledsoe
, grandmother of Jessica Ault, fighting cancer
The Easter flowers at the altar
are given to the glory of the risen Lord.
We pray for St. Dunstan's Missionaries,
Cameron and Roberto Vivanco, who serve in Quito, Ecuador, and the parish of Buen Pastor.
If you or someone you know is in need of prayer, please complete our prayer request form by clicking
here.
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The Third Sunday of Easter
April 15, 2018
9:00 a.m. Family Eucharist
9:50 a.m. Life Long Christian Formation
10:45 a.m. Traditional Family Eucharist
12:00 p.m. Fellowship
The readings for this Sunday are:
1 John 3:1-7, Psalm 4,
and Luke 24: 36b-48
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Sunday Schedule of Ministries ...
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Serving this Sunday
Trail Guide: Rosemarie Barrett
Liturgical Coordinator:
Rosi Sweeney
Eucharistic Minister: Carl Adams
and Sue Newman
Prayer Minister: Eugene Wright
Lector: Rosi Sweeney
Flower Guild: Sue Newman
Altar Guild:
Rosi Sweeney
Tellers:
Donna Alvarez
and Chuck Cash
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