Reflections from your Pastors

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Christine Valters Paintner, writer, artist, spiritual director, retreat facilitator and teacher, has written a new book entitled A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding our True Hungers in Lent. Paintner identifies fasting as an act of letting go to make “more internal space to listen to the sacred whispers of our lives.” She takes the reader on a spiritual journey through seven kinds of fasts, including fasting from control, from our attachments, from certainty, and more.

In week two of Lent, Paintner invites us to fast from scarcity and to embrace radical trust in abundance. She writes, “We are surrounded by the reality of scarcity when those with means exploit the labor of others, as well as the continual messages of scarcity, so our anxiety gets fueled… We are symbolically enslaved to a system that does not care for our well-being. So weary are we, so burdened by consumer debt, working long hours with little time off. So many have no choice but to stretch themselves thin to the very edges of their resources and capacity.”

Paintner suggests reading Sabbath as Resistance, by Walter Brueggemann and

reclaiming our Sabbath time. When we practice Sabbath, we are making a visible

statement that our lives are not defined by this perpetual anxiety; we are making a

commitment to rest and lay aside work and worry. Reclaim “time spent in silence, a beautiful meal shared with a friend, a long walk in a beautiful place, a nap. Sabbath keeping is an embodiment of our faith that there is something deeper at work in the world than the machinations of the power structures. It is a way for us to embody this profound trust and enter into the radical abundance at the heart of things.”

Paintner offers some questions for reflection:

Does your energy feel “mortgaged” into the future?

What forms of scarcity especially cause you anxiety?

How might you create some Sabbath time in your days or weeks?

What does “enough” look like for you? Enough time, enough money, enough love?

What would a “store of energy” feel like for you?

What does your hunger for enough feel like?

Take some time to ponder these meaningful questions in this second week of Lent.



God Bless,

Mother Rosean

Linen Washers Needed!

Mary of Magdala could use a few more Linen Washers. This is a ministry you do mostly at home—picking up used linens, laundering, ironing, folding—returning to church sacristy. If you can help please reply to Gray Lafond graylafond@gmail.com Thank you for considering this ministry!

Simple Supper and Taizé Prayer

All three churches are participating in the Lenten Soup Supper beginning on 2/21. If you can assist in bringing Soup or with clean-up, please sign-up below.

Wednesdays - February 28; March 6, 13, 20

Taizé Prayer               6:00 pm

Soup Supper              6:30 pm

Left Hand of Lent: For the full announcement and the list of items to contribute, go HERE All donations will benefit the Larimer Food Bank

Service Recordings

Celebrating the 2nd Sunday of Lent

A recording of homilies and readings from February 25th, with Pastor Jane Reina presiding and Dr. David Cloyd providing the homily, is available here.

Other Mass recordings can be accessed via our website here.

Prayer Requests

Praying for peace, health and well-being through challenging times.

+Natalie Rochester, for prosperity, love, and happiness.

+James Fuller, friend of Mary of Magdala and seeker, returning to Houston

+Pastor Rick Reiten, Pastor at Trinity Lutheran

+Tess Peters, friend of Mary Lou Devlin, member

+Cache and Courtney, family of Jean Christen

+David Devlin, member

+Kolten Weitzel, grandson of Kerrie Anderson, member

+Sabrina and her two children, currently homeless

+Grandneice of Father Michael Nicosia

+Linda Browell, member

+Sandra Carter, friend of Mary Vogel

+Kris Jenkins, wife of Father Scott Jenkins

+Jen Banks, friend of Mary of Magdala

+Francisco Cruz Antonio, friend of Rev. Jane

+Grace Robinson, member

+Jerry Padilla, father of member Lisa Jones

+Janessa and Hayden, sister and niece of Jen Banks



+Rachel, daughter of Mary Lou Devlin, member.

~~~~~~~~~~~

A blessed and peaceful repose of souls for those who've passed and comfort for the friends and families.

+Sharon L. Six, mother of Michael Six, member

+Jim Carroll, husband of member Dori Carroll

+Joanne Gallagher, member

+Daniel, cousin of Pedro Engel

+Juanita Newbre, aunt of MaryLou Devlin, member

+Jeanette Marian Banks (Brown) mother of Jen Banks

+Flavian Reising Jr., Father of Steve Reising, member

+Marge Gruber, friend of Michael Six, member

+Betty Jones, mother-in-law of Lisa Jones, member

+Jean Preslan, friend of Mother Rosean and others

+Josy Moos, Godmother of Tom Moos

+Fr. Fred Ball, OFR, ECC priest

+Bob Colhour, father of member Mark Colhour.

+Candy Palmer, friend of Mary Lou Devlin, member

+Johnny Berlyn Thomas, friend and benefactor out of his own poverty, of Pastor Jane

+Fr Don Willet, from John XXIII

+Linn Zink, friend of MoM, Social Justice advocate

+Bishop McGrath - RC diocese of San Jose, Friend of Suzanne King

+James Ryan cousin of Mary Lyons, member

Please send prayer requests to marymagdalafc@gmail.com. Prayers will be listed for one month unless requested for longer. Prayers for the repose of souls will be listed for six months unless requested for a longer time.

Sunday March 3 at 12:30 PM

• Fr. Teri Harroun is presiding. In-person and with Zoom.

Wednesday March 6 at 11:00 am

• Weekday Mass in the Fireside Room
• No Zoom available

Sunday March 10 at 12:30 PM

• Mother Rosean Amaral is presiding. In-person and with Zoom.

Wednesday March 13 at 11:00 am

• Weekday Mass in the Fireside Room
• No Zoom available

Did you miss an article or announcement?



Past e-bulletins posted here

• To read the January News from the Office of the Presiding Bishop Paul (Pablo) Burson, click here (English) and here (Spanish).
• To read the ECC Council of Bishops' statement on the War in Gaza and Israel, click here.
• Ongoing Giving Opportunities in Fellowship hall; see list here
• Dedicating Altar Flowers? Contact Joan Stepleton at JoanStepleton@gmail.com or 864-650-2816. A $25 dollar donation is kindly requested.
• The purpose of the Mary Magdalene Society is to financially support aspiring and current priests and encourage the development of youth in their spiritual journeys. Read more here.

Mary of Magdala Parish Community

Members: Need to view, update information or download a copy of the member directory? Just click here.

-->If you are in need of a picture for the directory, contact David Cloyd via this email. Put 'Need Picture for the Directory' in the subject line and include your name and telephone number in your email <--

If you would like to contribute to Mary of Magdala, here are ways to schedule a single or recurring Sunday offertory.

All are invited and ALL are welcome to join our parish community. Here is the webpage with more information on membership



The ECC Regional Website - View here.

Newsletters of Trinity Lutheran Church and the St. Paul's Episcopal  

Click here for the Trinity Lutheran Church monthly newsletter, "Tidings". And here is St Paul's weekly bulletin.