St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
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We gathered for a fabulous time of being together, having fun, eating delicious food, and being together as a church community. It was glorious! This was definitely one of these events that came together with grace and was a great way to prepare for the work of Lent.
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The event was definitely a "wow" event and was planned by and prepared for by Jane Offner, and we are so very grateful! She's a fabulous cook, isn't she?!
Thank you also to Mike Stitt and Keith Tyler who made the beignets, which are alway a very special treat and for everyone who prepared for the event and cleaned up.
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Burning of the Palms to make ashes for Ash Wednesday
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In the drizzle of the early evening, we lit the fire and watched the palms of last Palm Sunday go up in fire and smoke as we prayed this prayer --
God of tender mercy, you fashioned us from the dust of the earth, and bid us follow your Gospel call in the company of your
Church. Look on us with kindness as we prepare the ashes which will mark the beginning of our Lenten journey. Grant that we who make the desert pilgrimage with Jesus might come to the font of rebirth with a renewed passion for justice. May all our offerings serve your people and bring us peace, may prayer sanctify all our deeds, and may we come at last to the table you set in that place where you reign with Christ and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. AMEN.
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Our Lenten Journey: A Guided Meditation
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As you listen to the guided meditation above, if you are attentive and alert, you will realize that I reference the gospel of John that you will be hearing this coming Sunday. That is not the gospel you will hear for this meditation was created in a different liturgical year -- but the theme of the meditation -- spiritual flexibility is true for all liturgical years during the season of Lent. So I encourage you to listen to it and allow the words to enter into your heart.
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We begin one of the most poignant and transformative seasons in our church year this week. From the beginning, the season of Lent is one of disruption. As we receive a cross of ashes on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday and take in the customary proclamation, “From dust you have come and to dust you shall return”, we are invited to embark on an interior journey. This baptism in humility brings our humanity and need for Divine guidance to the forefront, setting the tone for a season devoted to spiritual practice and self-examination.
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We gathered at several times and in several different ways to answer the invitation to a holy Lent. Through the poignant and meaningful words of our service in the Book of Common Prayer and through the imposition of ashes at our healing service, downtown at our “Ashes to Go” station, and then this evening in the holiness of our sanctuary, we felt our hearts drawn to the hard and holy work of Lent. As always, our young people participate in the service at real depth, sharing the leadership of the service, imposing ashes, and opening their heart to the restoration God offers to all of us.
We begin this journey of Lent into the wilderness, that wild yet wholly alive place of transformation, so that when we shout our Alleluia’s on Easter morning, we can in truth and humility, that God has transformed our souls during this pilgrimage into healing and wholeness.
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What to bring on your journey
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Your Lenten Packet is in the mail to you! We invite you to journey along together as we make the pilgrimage to Easter, using the poster with simple and easy ways to enter into the gift of each day along the way, as well as a listing of many resources available for your use during this walk into holiness.
If you would like an extra poster for other family members or friends, just let us know, we have a few extra which we will gladly share.
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A deeper dive into the holy-
Parish Retreat at Holy Cross Monastery
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Holy Cross Monastery Parish Retreat
: Tuesday, 4/28 – 5/1. Although this Parish Spiritual Retreat is after Lent, this is the time to turn your heart toward this intentional time of being with God and one another. Being at Holy Cross Monastery is a remarkable experience. Most people describe the experience as “coming home”, and are aware of the “something special” the monastery offers as soon as they turn into the driveway. My guess is that people so many people have prayed there and found solace, strength, insight, comfort, challenge, and the near presence of God there, the monastery has become a “thin place”, into which you are invited.
We will leave on Tuesday morning on 4/28 and return Friday evening, 5/1. We have 15 spaces reserved. The total cost of the retreat (including three evenings and 3 meals each day) is $255.00. If you are interested in attending, please make a deposit of $128.00 to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church with Holy Cross Retreat in the memo by March 20th. We need to send a check for ½ of the total cost to them by 3/28.
The material we will be covering and exploring in a number of different ways (to accommodate all different spirituality types) will be focused on the transformational moments in everyone’s life and will be based upon the Book of Ruth. Please see Mother Barbara if you would like more information or click on the link below to learn more about this Benedictine community.
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An invitation to be healed
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Our healing prayer ministers will be offering healing prayers this Sunday during both services. We invite you to come forward to receive prayers for yourself or someone dear to your heart who may need healing in heart, mind, body, or soul. You can be specific in your prayer request or share that information with God alone. The healing prayer ministers are always ready to lift your prayers to our God of mercy and grace. Lent is a time when we are stripped away of that which we no longer need, that which draws us from God, and often grief comes with this deconstruction of our false identity-- or life might just be particularly difficult right now. We invite you to bring that grief and hardness to Christ, so that you may be held in the love of Christ, which is our healing balm.
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One way our hearts and souls are healed is, of course, through music, which is why we are blessed that Lisa Turchi offers us the gift of her healing voice during our healing prayers on Sunday mornings. This offering opens each of our hearts to hold others in prayer and to support the healing work of Christ among us, which we receive through prayers, music, and the Eucharist.
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Our Prayer Shawl Ministry Group will gather this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in the Parish Library. Please join us if you are interested in this expression of our healing ministry at St. Andrew's.
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An invitation to be heard and healed
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Rite of Reconciliation
Acknowledging, owning, and asking forgiveness for the ways we have separated ourselves from God's realm is an important part of our Lenten journey with Christ. We do this with Christ, because it is through Christ and with the Spirit that we are drawn into the new life God desires of and for us. You can read through this service in our BCP by
clicking here.
If you are interested in knowing more about this service of introspection and absolution, or would like to schedule an appointment with Mother Barbara, please
click here
or give her a call. It would be her honor to help you prepare for this time to introspection, repentance, and forgiveness.
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Preparing for Sunday - 1st Sunday of Lent
To engage in lectio divina on the gospel, please
click here.
To read the sermon from last Sunday, please
click here.
Verger:
Bill Gawors
Crucifer:
Samantha Davis
Lector:
Nichol Free
Eucharistic Minister:
Sue Davis
Cantor:
Lisa Turchi
Celebrant & Preacher:
The Rev. Patrick Pierce
Healing Minister:
Ellen Rose
Greeter:
Aly Howard
10 a.m.
Altar Guild
: Christina Luo, Bill Gawors, Sue Davis, Samantha Davis
Greeters:
Matt Ashberry, Crystal Ashberry
Acolytes:
Alexander Smeltz, Jonathan Luo, Joseph Luo
Lectors
: Lisa Turchi, Lisa Wooley
Eucharistic Ministers
: Steve Nicola, Susan Sanders
Cantor:
Lisa Turchi
Celebrant & Preacher:
The Rev. Patrick Pierce
Healing Ministers:
Jeanine Goodwin, Jean Shepherd
Counters
: Larry Shillock, Jean Shepherd
Coffee Hour:
Ken Dotson, Melisa Dotson
Other things happening on Sunday:
Healing prayers at both services (8 and 10 a.m.)
Godly Play at 9:30 a.m.
Coffee Hour for Kids (Music) at 11:15 a.m.
Coffee Hour (for Adults) at 11:15 a.m.
Prayer Shawl Ministry Gathering at 11:30 a.m.
We will offer our
Community Meal to our guests and friends of the neighborhood this Monday, March 2nd, beginning at 5 p.m. If anyone is interested in joining this ministry, please see Mike Stitt.
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Mother Barbara and Bill will be on vacation this coming week, leaving Saturday 2/29 and returning Saturday 3/7, joining friends as they sail in the British Virgin Islands. If you have a pastoral concern or need during that time, please either call Melanie our Parish Secretary (532-8089) or reach out by email to Mother Barbara (
rector@standrewsship.org
) and we will make sure someone is there to offer care to you. Mother Carenda will be our pastoral support during Mother Barbara's absence.
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St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
206 E. Burd Street, Shippensburg, PA 17257
717-53208089
Mother Barbara
717-333-5590
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