From the Rector
Dear Friends,
Every Easter (and every Sunday) we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Without the resurrection there would have been no Church and no Christianity; or, if there were, it is unlikely it would have have survived into the modern age. Resurrection sustains our faith, as St Paul writes, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins"
. (1 Corinthians 15:17)
The power of resurrection is seen not only in the promise of eternal life, but in the lives of Jesus' followers. The disciple Peter is depicted in the gospels as someone with strengths and weaknesses. He told Jesus that he would stand up for him t
hrough thick and thin. Jesus told him that he would soon deny that he even knew Jesus and would do so three times, before the cock crowed. Peter is filled with remorse when Jesus' prediction turns out to be true.
Fortunately, the relationship between Jesus and Peter does not end on that unhappy note. In the gospel of John, we read that Peter is fishing on Lake Galilee when he hears the resurrected Jesus at the water's edge, and swims back to see him.
I wonder how you would handle your first meeting with someone who had betrayed you publicly, three times, just as you had predicted? It would have been very easy and justifiable to say, "I told you so, Peter, didn't I?" "What do you have to say for yourself?"
But Jesus doesn't do that. He asks Peter three times whether he loves him. After each time Peter replies "Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus asks him to look after or feed his lambs and sheep (his followers). (John 21:15-17). In this way Jesus resurrects his relationship with Peter and gives Peter his blessing. Jesus deepens both Peter's love for him and affirms Peter's leadership.
This speaks to me of how perfect, eternal love works. This is how I should treat others. This is how we should all treat each other. This is one of the reasons the resurrection of Jesus continues to inform and empower people of faith throughout history. It speaks to us of how the eternal God of love works.
Have a blessed and happy Easter,
|
|
The Triduum
"Triduum". Derived from the Latin for "three days", the Triduum sets the three holy days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday apart from the rest of Holy Week.
The Triduum begins on Thursday, April 18 at 7:30 pm with the Maundy Thursday liturgy, when we commemorate the institution of the Lord's Supper and remember Christ's example of love through the humble act of foot washing. After the Eucharist is given the altar is stripped and the church is darkened, reminding us that Jesus is forsaken even by those closest to him. Also known as the Mass of the Lord's Supper, the liturgy concludes with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the "altar of repose" in the chapel downstairs, where the consecrated host is kept until Good Friday. Members of the congregation are invited to spend time with Jesus in prayer before the altar of repose, which is adorned with flowers and candles. A vigil is kept until midnight.
On
Good Friday
, the Church enters the painful darkness of Christ crucified. Our solemn liturgy includes a reading of the Passion Gospel and powerful prayers for the Church and for the world. We will commemorate the events of Good Friday on April 19 at 3 pm.
As dusk falls on Holy Saturday, we will gather for the Great Vigil of Easter
at 7:30 pm in the Upper Memorial Garden, just as the women gathered at the tomb. In hope, we will light a fire and a new Paschal candle as we tell the story of our salvation to one another once more. We will renew our baptismal vows, recalling that we have died to sin and been raised to newness of life. Finally, we will celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter, commemorating Christ's victory over death.
The liturgies of the Triduum flow inexorably towards the Easter celebration. After the opening greeting of the Maundy Thursday liturgy, there is no final blessing until the Great Vigil and the first Eucharist of Easter. In this sense, the Triduum is more than a mere commemoration of Jesus' death and resurrection. It is a time when we are called to be fully present to God's work of redemption. To paraphrase the words of the Exsultet, the ancient hymn traditionally sung by the deacon at the Easter Vigil, the Triduum is the moment when earth and heaven are joined and we are reconciled to God.
You are invited to participate in the whole drama of these three sacred days and experience Christ's journey from death to life.
|
Birthdays and Anniversaries
April Birthdays
4/3 Adrianna Bozzuto
4/6 John Barber
4/8 David R. Nelson
4/11 Edward S. Dobbs, Jr.
4/12 Patricia Flores-Brown
4/14 John Strayer
4/14 Sophie Gutierrez
4/15 Hunter O'Connell
4/16 Louis Annas, V
4/17 Valerie Rafferty
4/19 John Barber, Jr.
4/19 Dorothy Hall
4/20 Jeanne Dewan
4/23 Carter Alexander Lee
4/26 Violet Ricky McDaid
April Anniversaries
4/16/94 Lee Lucas & Jeffrey Brzezicki
4/18/02 Naomi & Gotomo Gordon
4/19/02 Jennifer & Frank Wren
4/22/97 Ian & Barbara Post
|
Redeemer Thrift Shop
Open Tuesdays 10 am - 2 pm and
Saturdays 9 am - 2 pm.
Visit the Thrift Shop on Facebook
For more information, please contact
Cyn Mattson (610) 356-8125 or
Luisa Andrews (610) 353-9299.
During the first quarter of 2019, the Thrift Shop earnings totalled $5,754.
|
|
Just for Fun
Question: If the Pilgrims were still alive today, what would they be most known for? Answer: Their incredible age!
A teacher asks her students where they went on vacation. Timmy says, "my family went to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania." "That's very interesting," says the teacher. "Please spell 'Punxsutawney' for the class." Timmy thinks for a moment, then says, "Actually, we went to Ohio."
A Sermon without Words
A member of the church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.
It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.
The
pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.
The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, "Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday".
|
The Rev. David Beresford, Rector
Susanna Faust, Minister of Music
Maria Macfarlan, Parish Administrator
Gary Rew, Sexton
Vestry:
George Baughan '22,
Lee Lucas '20,
Keith Brown '22,
Sharon Appelbaum '21, Ginny Doyle '22
Jim Lambert '21, Helen Lightcap '20
Gary Rew '21, Jane Nyiri '20
Eucharistic Visitors:
Church of the Redeemer
Website: www.redeemerspringfield.net
|
Send corrections, remarks, or updates to the Redeemer Reporter to Israel Ramirez: [email protected].
|
Church of the Redeemer, Springfield
145 West Springfield Road
Springfield, Pennsylvania 19064
610.544.8113
The Reverend David Beresford, Rector
Minister of Music
Susanna Faust
Parish Administrator
Maria Macfarlan
Eucharistic Visitors
Linda Bennett,
Mary Huber,
Carol Kane,
Claire Witzel
Vestry Members
George Baughan '19
- Senior W
ard
en
Lee Lucas '20 - Junior Warden
Keith Brown '19
- Accounting Warden
Sharon Appelbaum'21
Ginny Doyle '19
Jim Lambert '21
Joan Strayer '18
Helen Lightcap '20
Gary Rew '21
Our Mission
"As people of God, we come together in joyful worship, to care for each other, to engage in Christian formation, and to reach out to others thoughtfully and compassionately."
"Becoming one with Christ, with one another, and with all God's people"
|
|
|
|
|
