We are a worshiping community where everyone matters, everyone is loved, and everyone belongs. Everyone!
Dear Friends,

Tonight we celebrate Shrove Tuesday and tomorrow we enter into the season of Lent. It is my prayer, that throughout the season of Lent, we may draw near to Jesus and feel his presence in our lives.

Our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper begins tonight at 5:30pm. Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday has been celebrated since the 16th century where Christians would give up fats and indulgent foods so they could prepare to fast and draw near to God.

On Ash Wednesday we acknowledge our dependence on God by coming together to worship, confess our sins, and receive ashes on our forehead. It is a day for intentional reflection as we remember that we are fragile, mortal, and dependent on God. Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 22nd, we will have the opportunity at 4:45pm and 6:30pm to commit to drawing near to God over the next 40 days through prayer, fasting, or giving ourselves in service to others.

Those are the three pillars of Lent - prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Many people add to their spiritual disciplines during lent in order to deepen their relationship with God.

Our Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is a great place to start if you are looking for ideas on how to prayerfully enter into this season and offer yourself to God. You can pray the Great Litany beginning on page 148 of the BCP. You can also pray the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) on page 350 of the BCP. There are also daily devotions you can pray beginning on page 136 of the BCP. If you would like to borrow a Book of Common Prayer please contact Rev. Beth or you can find it online at bcponline.org or download the pdf copy on the Episcopal Church Website.

During Lent, at the end of the worship service the priest offers a seasonal solemn prayer and blessing. The prayer for the 5th Sunday of Lent is a fitting prayer as we begin this season:

Look with compassion, O Lord, upon this your people; that, rightly observing this holy season, they may learn to know you more fully, and to serve you with a more perfect will; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

God's Peace, Love, and Blessings,
Beth+
This Week at St. Nick's
Sunday, February 26: The First Sunday in Lent

Sunday Scriptures (click here to see the full Scripture texts): Genesis 2:15-17;3:1-7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11

Collect for the First Sunday in Lent:
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
May you have a blessed and holy Lenten season.
Thank You!!!
Sunday Painting party!
Thank you to everyone who helped paint our Lenten Art.
Thank you to everyone who helped and painted this past Sunday. We love our unconventional Stations of the Cross art offerings. As we gaze upon these works of art and contemplate all that Jesus has done for us, we will surely find hope and joy. Bless you!!!
For your prayers for a new bishop!
The Rev. Dr. David Read has been elected as our Bishop
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for the election of our new bishop. Continue to keep the Rev. Dr. David Read, his wife Jacqui, and his church St. Helena's in your prayers as they transition into new ways of serving the Lord. You can read more about the election here.
Champion a Ministry
Sunday Worship Help
Sign-up at this link to help us with Sunday Worship. You are wanted and needed! We want readers of all ages. We want altar team members of all ages. We want greeters of all ages! Sign up today!!!
A Moment of Joy and a Prayer from Rev. Beth!
Serving and giving to others...
This past week, I was forwarded a lovely email from The God of Hope Ministries. They were abundantly thankful for our letters to the women in the Lockhart Correctional Facility.

They gave thanks for the Pen Pal Coordinator, Christina and her willingness to share her story with us, they gave thanks for our offering of $275 and for some of our women who have signed up to volunteer with their ministry.

A reference to first Peter was used “Each one should use whatever gift they have received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms”. (I Peter 4:10) as a thanksgiving for the many ways people are serving in this important ministry...

What a delight to my soul to read this email! What great joy I have been blessed with knowing that God is working in us and through us to better the lives of women in need of the unconditional love of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

God our Father,
inspire us with a great respect for all human life from the time of the child growing in the womb to the point of death.

May that respect lead us to grow in a sense of responsibility for all our brothers and sisters throughout the world, knowing that, where one person suffers and is degraded, all of humanity is belittled and abused.

May we grow in a sense of love and care for those less fortunate than ourselves, and lead us to do something about the troubles in our world.

Amen.
(prayer author unknown)
2265 Bulverde Rd.
Bulverde, TX 78163
Phone: 214-213-0739