The Weekly News
for March 21, 2018
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Greetings!
- About Holy Week
- Holy Week and Easter Schedules
- Thursdays in Lent Series Concludes March 22
- Inquirer's Class
- Easter Flowers and Music Program Donations
- Register by Sunday to attend Adam Hamilton's Study "Creed"
- Center for Congregations Workshop on Racism
- Register to attend Adam Hamilton's Study "Creed"
- Register to attend "When Christians Get It Wrong"
- Butter Braids Order Delivery
- Diocesan Newsletter
- Use AmazonSmile to Benefit Waycross
- Important Dates for Your Calendar
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About Holy Week from the Interim Rector
If there’s ever a week to attend church services, it’s Holy Week, the week that begins on Palm Sunday and goes through the Good Friday liturgy. It tells the story of the last week of Jesus’ earthly life, from his triumphal entry into Jerusalem to his death on the cross on Calvary. The tradition of Holy Week goes back a very long way. Etheria, or Egeria (both spellings of the name have been used) chronicled her pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the early 380s A.D. She wrote a long letter to women back home. It is the earliest extant graphic account of a Christian pilgrimage.
Keeping Holy Week is a commitment. Household, work, and spring break schedules make it difficult, if not impossible, for people to attend every service offered here at St. Christopher’s (and there are a lot of them!) But I promise that being a part of much of our observances here will be spiritually rewarding, if not life-changing. At the very least, come to one of the Palm Sunday services where, this year, we will read St. Marks’s version of the Passion. The way to Easter goes through the events of Holy Week, even if we can only set aside one day of that week to hear the story of it. But what a story it is!
Holy Week reminds us that, as Barbara Brown Taylor writes, “We are lovers of a God who specializes in turning the world’s values upside down. We are the followers of a Lord who waited tables and washed feet. We are the heirs of a Spirit who has power to revive the whole creation, beginning with us, but only if we will allow it - by giving up all illusions that we know how to save ourselves and begging God, one more time, to show us how it is done.”
Father Stephen
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Holy Week Schedule
March 25, The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday
- 7:45 a.m. | Liturgy of the Palms and Holy Eucharist
- 10:00 a.m. | Procession of the Palms and Holy Eucharist
March 28 | Holy Wednesday
- 10:00 a.m. | Holy Eucharist, Rite I, in Chapel
March 29 | Maundy Thursday
- 7:00 p.m. | Holy Eucharist with Foot Washing and Stripping of the Altar
- 8:00 p.m. | Maundy Thursday Watch (until noon on Friday)
March 30 | Good Friday
- 12 Noon - Good Friday Liturgy
- 3:00 p.m. - Stations of the Cross
March 31 | Easter Eve
- 7:30 p.m. - The Great Vigil of Easter and Holy Eucharist
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Easter Schedule
April 1, Easter Day
- 7:30 a.m. | Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with congregational hymns
- 9:15 a.m. | Festival Sung Eucharist, Rite II
- 11:00 a.m. | Festival Sung Eucharist, Rite II
The 9:15 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services will have music by St. Christopher's Choir and Choristers accompanied by organ, brass quartet and handbells.
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The Reconciliation of a Penitent
In preparation for Easter, the Reconciliation of a Penitent (commonly known as Confession) will be offered on
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (March 26, 27, and 28) in Holy Week by appointment with the parish clergy. Please call the office (317-846-8716) during business hours to schedule your appointment or email as follows:
Father Stephen | sapplegate@stchriscarmel.org
Mother Jenny | motherjenny@stchriscarmel.com
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Thursdays in Lent Series concludes this week
Don't miss the March 22 opportunity for worship, fellowship, learning, and the beautiful music and prayers of Compline.
The schedule for the evening includes:
- 5:30 p.m. | Worship in the Chapel
- 6:00 p.m. | Shared Supper in Fellowship Hall
- 7:00 p.m. | Learn in Lent
- 8:15 p.m. | Come for Compline
You are welcome for any or all of the Thursday evening offering.
Come as schedules permit.
If you would be willing to bring a soup, salad, or bread for the shared supper, please use the sign-up link below or contact Anita in the church office
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Inquirer's Class
Sundays through March 25
11:30 a.m. in the Conference Room
Why do we worship the way we do? What do Episcopalians believe and how did we get there? Come explore the basics of our faith and Episcopal tradition. This class is for you if you are curious, or if you would like to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church. Father Stephen facilitates these classes. Registration is not required and there is no cost to attend.
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Donations for Easter Altar Flowers
or St. Christopher's Music Fund
Would you like to make a donation for flowers or the music fund during the Easter season? If so, please pick up an envelope from the round table in the Narthex. Be sure to let us know the name or names of the individuals in whose memory you are donating. You also may make a donation in thanksgiving for individuals or blessings in your life. For flowers make checks payable to the Altar Guild. For the Music Fund, make checks payable to St. Christopher's and write Music on the memo line.
Return your envelope and donation by Sunday, March 25.
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Did you order Butter Braids?
Your frozen pastry orders will be available for you to pick up on Sunday, March 25, after worship services. Orders not picked up on Sunday will be placed in the freezer with names on them. You may pick up these orders during church office hours Monday through Friday.
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Three Upcoming Learning & Growth Opportunities
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Register for Adam Hamilton’s Study “Creed”
Come explore what Christians believe, why they believe it, and why it matters as we study the Apostles’ Creed, an early statement of foundational Christian beliefs. This class features Adam Hamilton's book and DVD clips and will be facilitated by Warren Smith. The class will be on Sundays, April 8 through May 13, at 11:30 a.m. in the conference room.
Registration closes Sunday, March 25. You can register using the link below.
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When Christians Get it Wrong
Join us for this Christian Development offering. We’ll have some lively discussion utilizing DVD clips, scripture, and commentary, explore Christianity's harsher side, and learn how we can speak with openness, love, joy, and a desire to serve. Politics, judgment, salvation, sexuality, tragedy, and science are all on the menu! Peggy Driehorst will facilitate this group. The class will be in six sessions between April 8 and May 20, with the time and location determined by everyone who signs up. The cost is $6, and scholarships are available (
contact Mother Jenny). Registration closes April 1. Register using the link below.
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Racial Justice and Your Congregation. Why now?
Thursday, April 12, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Center for Congregations will offer an important workshop on racism. Dr. Michale Twyman will be the presenter. The workshop will achieve two important goals:
- To provide you with various tools and resources to have healthy dialogue about race within your congregation.
- To equip you with knowledge and techniques to confront racism and racial oppression within your congregation and the broader society.
St. Christopher's will pay your registration fee, but we need to register as a group to get a discount. If you are curious about attending, or know for sure you want to,
please contact Mother Jenny (
motherjenny@stchriscarmel.com
) by March 23.
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Diocesan Newsletter
The Diocese of Indianapolis has launched a weekly newsletter, which is available to all of us. Like
The Weekly News from St. Christopher's, the newsletter is published on Wednesdays through Constant Contact. To subscribe, use the link below.
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Important Dates for Your Calendar
The
Save the Date page
of St. Christopher's website is updated weekly. Check this resource for new information. You also may want to review the insert in the Sunday bulletin, as it provides the schedule for the coming week.
March 28, 11:30 a.m. | Young at Heart Luncheon
April 2 | Church Office closed
April 15, 11:30 a.m. | St. Christopher's Crops Garden Crew Meeting
April 15, 11:30 a.m. | Services to Others (S2O) Vision and Planning Meeting
April 22, 11:15 a.m. | Playground Dedication and Grand Opening
June 9, Noon - 8:00 p.m. | Strawberry Fest
July 16 - 19, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. | Vacation Bible School
Church office hours
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. (except as noted for Monday, April 2)
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Continue the conversation
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