X Marks the Spot

We call them Ember Days, but they have nothing to do with fire.

Four times a year, roughly around the solstices and equinoxes, Christians in the western churches have celebrated a sort of ‘mini Holy Week’ – a cluster of days that includes Wednesday, Friday and Saturday – as a way of marking and offering thanks for the change of the seasons.

Best we can tell, the name originated in Latin as ‘quatuor tempora’ or ‘four times/seasons.’ Somewhere in our history the English version of that became ‘quad emberes’ and finally just embers. The first of the Ember Days take place between the 3rd and 4th Sundays of Advent (mid to late December). The second set of Ember Days are happening right now, the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday just before the 2nd Sunday in Lent.

Originally, the Ember Days were times for fasting and prayer to celebrate God’s gift of nature and our wise use of it, and later became times for the ordination of priests. These days, aside from ministers writing soul-searching letters to their bishops the Ember Days are largely forgotten by most Christians.

That’s a shame, because the core message of the Ember Days is one that needs to be heard: Be right here right now. The Ember Days encourage us to pause and take stock of our lives right here and right now, because that is all we have any power to affect. God isn’t interested in how well we used to be in ‘the good old days.’ Neither does he want us to wait around to follow him until we have the right job, the right family situation, the right schedule, the right amount of time or energy.

The point of the Ember Days is to remind us that we have all we need right here and right now to be servants of God and agents of God’s loving, peaceful, joy filled kingdom. “If only…” is not in God’s vocabulary. God invites us all to live like Jesus here and now, warts and all. What are you waiting for?
We will livestream this service via Zoom. Gather with your family or friends at home and join us on your smartphone or computer.

  • A pdf of our bulletin is available for you to follow along with the prayers and responses. Please print the bulletin before the Service begins as we cannot show the bulletin as a part of our live zoom Service.

  • Click here to join our service or use the link on our webpage.

Second Sunday in Lent, Year B
Sunday, February 28, 2021
The Rev. Michael Matkin





Our wonderful Worship Crew will be:

Rev. Michael Matkin.................................Celebrant
Edwin Sutherland.....................................Lay Reader
Oliver Sutherland.....................................Acolyte
Billy Bowen...............................................Video Technology
Gerry Frank...............................................Organist
Renee / Alan Bodine.................................Altar Guild Member
Karen Dean.................................................Vestry Person of the Day

We are fortunate that we have the volunteers, the technology, and the support of the St. Andrew's community to allow everyone to worship safely.


Be safe and be well.
This Week in the Parish
Feb. 28 - March 6, 2021
Sunday - February 28th
10:30 am - Holy Eucharist Rite II in church & online
1:00 pm - Foundations (see below for link to enroll)

Wednesday - 23rd
8 am - Morning Prayer in church & online
5:30 pm - Evening Prayer in church & online

Friday - 26th:  Rector's day off  
Church Office closes at Noon
In-Reach Opportunities
Keep the Bowens Alive!
As many of you already know, our unstoppable Senior Warden Anne Bowen broke her ankle last night. I know that Anne will appreciate your prayers for her swift recovery.
In the meantime, while the family is adjusting to Anne's temporarily limited mobility, join me in sharing our love with them by keeping them fed.

Click here to sign up to volunteer to provide dinner.
David Perrin has gracously offered to help out around the church, yea! He has offered to clean the restrooms and keep the grass areas looking good. However there is just one little problem....when David and Ann moved back to Stillwater they moved into the Brentwood Apartments...so David does not have any tools to mow the grass with. We would love to have someone donate a lawnmower, trimmers, blowers, etc., the tools that David will need to keep the grass mowed and looking great this summer. Please contact David at 918-822-7486 or by email at dwp.weruna@gmail.com.
If there is an area around the church you would like to help out with, please contact Jim McCollom.
Upcoming Events
Prayer and Study
St. Crispin's Conference Center

March 18-19
Choose 1 or 2 nights that include private summer camp bunk cabin and meals! Visit stcrispins.org or call (405) 382-1619 for more details.
Birthdays

February 26 - Kay Burns

March 01 - Greg Wilber
March 02 - Amy Parsons
March 02 - Anna Kiespert
March 06 - John Irons
March 06 - Jim McCollom
March 08 - Jeanne Schroeder
March 08 - Hayden Sutherland
March 13 - Debi Hodson
March 14 - Tracy Boyington


Anniversaries

March 02 - Karen & Scott Dean
March 16 - Betty & Joe Mize


We understand the hardship and financial stress the COVID pandemic has been for everyone. We recognize and understand, an individual can do and give only what is prudent for their circumstance. Whatever support you can give will be deeply appreciated.

You can make your offerings or contributions through Tithely , make arrangements through your bank to have a check mailed to the church, or just drop a check in the mail (P.O. Box 938, Stillwater, OK 74076).

Stay safe and God be with you.”
Rector: Fr. Michael Matkin
Day off: Friday
Parish Administrator: Debi Hodson
Church Office closes at Noon on Friday