FROM THE RECTOR: A HOLY LENT
The Reverend Matthew Mead
This year, Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, is March 9, nearly as late in the winter as it can be (the latest is March 10!). There are five Sundays in Lent (there are a number of ways to count up to and even beyond “40 days of Lent”, so I tend to count by week), and the season of Lent transitions into Holy Week and Easter when we celebrate and read about the Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. I like Lent. It certainly isn’t a festive season like Christmastide or Easrtertide, but I think that there is much to commend about observing a holy and prayerful Lent. I believe that opening one’s self to the simplicity and clarity of Lent can help to prepare and open one’s heart for the Paschal Mystery celebrated so fully throughout Holy Week and Easter.
There will be some seasonal changes to the Sunday morning service in Lent. From Ash Wednesday to Maundy Thursday, “Kyrie eleison” or “Lord have mercy” will replace “Gloria in excelsis” or “Glory to God in the highest” as the opening song of praise. Also, the word “alleluia” will drop entirely from the Holy Eucharist and Daily Office services. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, and continuing throughout Lent, Holy Week, Eastertide and concluding on the Day of Pentecost on June 12, we will use Eucharistic Prayer D. Prayer D is the longest Eucharistic Prayer offered in contemporary language in the Prayer Book. It is adapted from Saint Basil’s Liturgy (dated from the fourth century), and it is often called the ecumenical prayer because it is used in some form by many different western and eastern Christian denominations. This Eucharistic Prayer is particularly appropriate during Easter, which is and always has been the heart of the Christian year, because it paints a very complete picture of salvation history in Jesus Christ. Using the same Eucharistic Prayer throughout both Lent and Easter illustrates and helps us live out the reality that Lent does not stand alone; Lent prepares for and leads into Easter. Prayer D is very long and so we will use Form III of the Prayers of the People in Lent and Eastertide because that form is the shortest. The Lessons of Lent, in particular the Gospel accounts this year, are some of my favorites: in Year A, we read large passages from Saint John’s Gospel, including Jesus’ discussion with Nicodemus, the Woman at the Well, the Man born Blind, and the Raising of Lazarus. Likewise, the hymn texts and music of Lent and Holy Week are beautiful and powerful.
In addition to the regular Sunday morning services and the midweek Daily Office (offered every Tuesday through Friday at 7:40 AM), there will be a few other ways offered at Good Shepherd to actively devote yourself to Christ this Lent.
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. On Ash Wednesday the church will be open for prayer all day and the priest will be available to administer ashes (a small cross marked in ash on your forehead). The Liturgy of Penitence, Blessing & Administering of Ashes, and Holy Eucharist will be offered at 8:00 AM, 12:00 Noon and 6:00 PM.
Stations of the Cross will be offered at 7:00 PM on Friday evenings throughout Lent, March 11 & 18 and April 1, 8 & 15 – the Annunciation is March 25 and Stations as well as most of the ritual of Lent will be suppressed that day.
Several Biblically themed movies will be shown in Lent. The first movie will be the Gospel according to John (2003, 124 minutes), shown on the First Sunday in Lent, March 13, 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM. The second movie will be The Passion of the Christ (graphic content, 2004, 127 minutes), shown on the Third Sunday in Lent, March 29, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM. The third movie will be The Prince of Egypt (animated, 1998, 99 minutes), shown on the Fifth Sunday in Lent (Family Sunday), April 10, 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM. The movies will be shown on Sunday afternoons at the church, in the Guild Room. A potluck lunch will be offered for each movie. Signup sheets are available in the hallway for each movie.
The Rector’s 9:00 AM Sunday Morning Forum throughout Lent will discuss and study the Book of Genesis. The class will be divided into five parts. Part one will be Creation, Adam & Eve and Noah. Part two will be Abraham. Part three will be Isaac and Jacob. Parts four and five will be Joseph.
The Outreach Committee has two weekly goals during Lent. First, we hope to fill the Food & Supplies Basket at the back of the church every Sunday. We know that this is a big challenge, but we believe that working together we can provide a full basket to the Katonah Food Pantry. They need donations throughout the year. And the late winter and early spring is a time when there are fewer charity drives. The second goal is to collectively raise $500 in spare change in time for the Offering for the Poor collected on Maundy Thursday. Traditionally the Maundy Thursday offering is given entirely to the poor, and the Vestry has determined it will go directly to Episcopal Charities this year. We hope that six weeks of collected spare change will allow us to more than double our usual offering. A spare change basket will be placed at the back of the church throughout Lent. Collect the spare change you accumulate each week and add it to the basket. The money, together with the offering envelopes designated for Maundy Thursday that are in your envelope boxes, and the collection from the Maundy Thursday service will be blessed at the Maundy Thursday Liturgy on April 21.
Finally, the Stewardship Committee would like to invite those who have not pledged for 2011 to consider taking that leap of faith in Lent. We are very close to our goal of $130,000 and 70 pledges. Right now, we have 61 pledges for nearly $117,000. Pledging what you intend to give for the entire year, whatever the amount, takes faith in and a commitment to the mission of Good Shepherd. Our outreach, fellowship, and worship opportunities have increased because we are growing and thriving. I invite you to join me, the members of the stewardship committee, every member of the vestry, all of our parish officers, and over 60 families in our congregation in making a pledge to support the growth and mission of Good Shepherd.
Lent is a great time for all of us in some small way to mirror the supreme sacrifice that Jesus offered on the cross. Time spent learning and praying over the Scriptures (directly from the Bible, in a worship or devotional service, and even in adapted cinema) will bear the fruit of evangelism at some point. Money and donations given to the poor is a way that any of us can “love our neighbor”. This year take up the chance to live a holy Lent, and pray that the power of the Holy Spirit will grow in you so that what you have taken up in Lent may become part of your regular daily Christian life.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thought #6
PLEDGE CAMPAIGN UPDATE!
From the Stewardship Committee
Great news everyone! We have $116,722 from 61 pledges for 2011. We are 90% of the way towards our goal of $130,000. After sending out a follow up letter to over 50 families and individuals in our greater parish family at the start of February, we have received two additional pledges! If you have not yet made a financial pledge for 2011 we hope that you will consider making one. People don’t “pledge to the budget”, they make the pledge to the church, to themselves, and to God, but the reality is that our budget is determined by the amount of money that is pledged. With your continued support, we are confident that we can bring in another $13,000 in pledges for 2011.
Special thanks to everyone who has already made a pledge for 2011!
From the Stewardship Committee
Great news everyone! We have $116,722 from 61 pledges for 2011. We are 90% of the way towards our goal of $130,000. After sending out a follow up letter to over 50 families and individuals in our greater parish family at the start of February, we have received two additional pledges! If you have not yet made a financial pledge for 2011 we hope that you will consider making one. People don’t “pledge to the budget”, they make the pledge to the church, to themselves, and to God, but the reality is that our budget is determined by the amount of money that is pledged. With your continued support, we are confident that we can bring in another $13,000 in pledges for 2011.
Special thanks to everyone who has already made a pledge for 2011!
Thought #5
CHARITY WINE TASTING : FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2011
From the Wine Tasting Committee
The Second Annual Annunciation Charity Wine Tasting will be on Friday, March 25, 2011. You’ve probably heard about the date, you’ve probably heard about the signup sheet, you’ve probably heard about the tickets… but you also probably have some questions, so we thought it might be helpful to offer a few questions that we have heard and give a few simple answers…
What is the Annunciation?
Every year the church celebrates certain feasts on certain dates. The Annunciation is celebrated on March 25 (if that date falls in Holy Week or Easter Week, the feast is “transferred” to the first convenient date after Easter). The Annunciation celebrates the announcement by the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she will have a son, Jesus. Nine months later we celebrate Christmas! On the Annunciation many familiar hymns and readings are used: the classic hymn “The Angel Gabriel from heaven came” is always sung on Annunciation!
Why are we doing a Wine Tasting on Annunciation?
One of the things Father Matt began when he arrived as rector was to celebrate certain Holy Days with a big annual celebration. For example, on September 29, we have a church service followed by an Oktoberfest celebration (Oktoberfest officially begins at the end of September); on Ascension Day, celebrated 40 days after Easter, in the late spring, as the days are getting longer and people are getting outside more, we have a church service followed by a Grilled Steak Dinner; on Candlemas, which is celebrated in the deepest darkest part of winter at the start of February, we have a church service and then we have a HOT chili and chowder competition! Since we are generally stuck inside in March, but not quite as likely to be snowed in, it seemed like an ideal time to attach a wine tasting to a church service. The basic idea is to offer fun events that are at church, involve church, and not necessarily churchy. Good People, Good Times, Good Shepherd!
What time is church? What time is the Wine Tasting?
The Church service begins at 6:00 PM. It will be a Sung Holy Eucharist. We have generally had 35-50 people at our weeknight Holy Day services. The Wine Tasting begins at 7:00 PM. Last year we had about 70 people at the Wine Tasting. You can come to either events or both, depending on your schedule!
Is there Child Care? Is this a Family Event?
Child Care for children of any age is available beginning at 5:55PM, and continuing until 9:00 PM. In addition, we plan to show a movie (Toy Story 3) in our Guild Room for kids of all ages. That way you can enjoy the church service and you can enjoy the charity Wine Tasting! Food is available at the Wine Tasting and food will be provided for children in the Nursery (please sign up so we have a good idea who will be coming). If you have kids – and you want a night out that covers all of your bases (good church, fun people, child care, not too late bedtime, delicious food, charitable cause) then this is for you! It’s the definition of a perfect Family Event!
How much does it cost?
The church service is free. As always, there will be a collection at the Offertory, and some of the collection will likely be used to pay for the cost of child care and music for the evening. Child care for the evening is also free. The Wine Tasting is an event designed to raise money for the church and for charity. We are asking $30 minimum donation per adult (kids are free). You can buy a ticket in advance or you can pay at the door. We hope that many people will buy a ticket in advance so we have a better idea of how many people are coming.
What is a Wine Tasting?
We are thrilled that our friends from Suburban Wine in Yorktown will be providing wine for the evening. At a Wine Tasting, adults are given a glass and move around the room sampling different types of wine. In general each sample poured into your glass is a little more than a few sips. Every table is equipped with a “pour bucket” so that those who only want a single sip can enjoy the flavor and then pour the rest into the bucket. Water is available to refresh your palette, quench your thirst, and rinse out your glass! Passed appetizers and other food are also available. In general a Wine Tasting is a lot more like a culinary journey than a trip to a local pub, the idea is to learn about different wines, and try very small samples to get an idea of what different wines taste like.
Can I buy wine? Do I have to buy wine?
You can buy wine, but you are not required to buy any wine! The wines that are tasted will be sold at the event. These wines are always discounted, so you are getting a good deal on top of everything else! You can pay by cash or credit card. Because of the nature of the event, you will have to pick up your wine a day or two later at Suburban Wines in Yorktown. Good Shepherd gets a percentage of every single bottle that is sold at the event. Last year a large portion of the money we raised came from our percentage of those bottles and cases that were purchased. This is a great time to buy a few bottles for future dinners or gifts because each and every bottle sold raises more money for the church and the charity!
What Charity does this support?
All proceeds from admission fees and wine sold will go to support the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Keon Center in Yorktown. The Keon Center is a non-profit agency that has served the developmentally disabled since 1954.
Can I bring friends who don’t go to church?
Yes! You can bring friends who don’t go to church. You can bring friends who don’t know what a church is. You can bring everyone you have ever met. The worship service is “attached” to the Wine Tasting, but that doesn’t mean everyone can or will want to go to both events. Last year many of our friends came for the Wine Tasting at 7:00 PM. We are thrilled to have them here and we welcome their support!
When is the Wine Tasting?
Friday, March 25, 2011. The service for Annunciation begins at 6:00 PM. The Wine Tasting follows at 7:00 PM. All are invited. Child care is provided for both events, between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM.
From the Wine Tasting Committee
The Second Annual Annunciation Charity Wine Tasting will be on Friday, March 25, 2011. You’ve probably heard about the date, you’ve probably heard about the signup sheet, you’ve probably heard about the tickets… but you also probably have some questions, so we thought it might be helpful to offer a few questions that we have heard and give a few simple answers…
What is the Annunciation?
Every year the church celebrates certain feasts on certain dates. The Annunciation is celebrated on March 25 (if that date falls in Holy Week or Easter Week, the feast is “transferred” to the first convenient date after Easter). The Annunciation celebrates the announcement by the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she will have a son, Jesus. Nine months later we celebrate Christmas! On the Annunciation many familiar hymns and readings are used: the classic hymn “The Angel Gabriel from heaven came” is always sung on Annunciation!
Why are we doing a Wine Tasting on Annunciation?
One of the things Father Matt began when he arrived as rector was to celebrate certain Holy Days with a big annual celebration. For example, on September 29, we have a church service followed by an Oktoberfest celebration (Oktoberfest officially begins at the end of September); on Ascension Day, celebrated 40 days after Easter, in the late spring, as the days are getting longer and people are getting outside more, we have a church service followed by a Grilled Steak Dinner; on Candlemas, which is celebrated in the deepest darkest part of winter at the start of February, we have a church service and then we have a HOT chili and chowder competition! Since we are generally stuck inside in March, but not quite as likely to be snowed in, it seemed like an ideal time to attach a wine tasting to a church service. The basic idea is to offer fun events that are at church, involve church, and not necessarily churchy. Good People, Good Times, Good Shepherd!
What time is church? What time is the Wine Tasting?
The Church service begins at 6:00 PM. It will be a Sung Holy Eucharist. We have generally had 35-50 people at our weeknight Holy Day services. The Wine Tasting begins at 7:00 PM. Last year we had about 70 people at the Wine Tasting. You can come to either events or both, depending on your schedule!
Is there Child Care? Is this a Family Event?
Child Care for children of any age is available beginning at 5:55PM, and continuing until 9:00 PM. In addition, we plan to show a movie (Toy Story 3) in our Guild Room for kids of all ages. That way you can enjoy the church service and you can enjoy the charity Wine Tasting! Food is available at the Wine Tasting and food will be provided for children in the Nursery (please sign up so we have a good idea who will be coming). If you have kids – and you want a night out that covers all of your bases (good church, fun people, child care, not too late bedtime, delicious food, charitable cause) then this is for you! It’s the definition of a perfect Family Event!
How much does it cost?
The church service is free. As always, there will be a collection at the Offertory, and some of the collection will likely be used to pay for the cost of child care and music for the evening. Child care for the evening is also free. The Wine Tasting is an event designed to raise money for the church and for charity. We are asking $30 minimum donation per adult (kids are free). You can buy a ticket in advance or you can pay at the door. We hope that many people will buy a ticket in advance so we have a better idea of how many people are coming.
What is a Wine Tasting?
We are thrilled that our friends from Suburban Wine in Yorktown will be providing wine for the evening. At a Wine Tasting, adults are given a glass and move around the room sampling different types of wine. In general each sample poured into your glass is a little more than a few sips. Every table is equipped with a “pour bucket” so that those who only want a single sip can enjoy the flavor and then pour the rest into the bucket. Water is available to refresh your palette, quench your thirst, and rinse out your glass! Passed appetizers and other food are also available. In general a Wine Tasting is a lot more like a culinary journey than a trip to a local pub, the idea is to learn about different wines, and try very small samples to get an idea of what different wines taste like.
Can I buy wine? Do I have to buy wine?
You can buy wine, but you are not required to buy any wine! The wines that are tasted will be sold at the event. These wines are always discounted, so you are getting a good deal on top of everything else! You can pay by cash or credit card. Because of the nature of the event, you will have to pick up your wine a day or two later at Suburban Wines in Yorktown. Good Shepherd gets a percentage of every single bottle that is sold at the event. Last year a large portion of the money we raised came from our percentage of those bottles and cases that were purchased. This is a great time to buy a few bottles for future dinners or gifts because each and every bottle sold raises more money for the church and the charity!
What Charity does this support?
All proceeds from admission fees and wine sold will go to support the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Keon Center in Yorktown. The Keon Center is a non-profit agency that has served the developmentally disabled since 1954.
Can I bring friends who don’t go to church?
Yes! You can bring friends who don’t go to church. You can bring friends who don’t know what a church is. You can bring everyone you have ever met. The worship service is “attached” to the Wine Tasting, but that doesn’t mean everyone can or will want to go to both events. Last year many of our friends came for the Wine Tasting at 7:00 PM. We are thrilled to have them here and we welcome their support!
When is the Wine Tasting?
Friday, March 25, 2011. The service for Annunciation begins at 6:00 PM. The Wine Tasting follows at 7:00 PM. All are invited. Child care is provided for both events, between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Thought #4
If one reads Morning and Evening Prayer, there are a variety of ways to read the Bible selections. The BCP offers a two-year cycle with three readings each (OT, NT and Gospel). If one desires to use two readings at each office, as is usual in our tradition, the BCP rubrics suggest using the off-year OT reading in the evening. So, for example, this moring we read from Isaiah (Year 1 OT reading) and 1Timothy (Year 1 NT reading). This evening we will read from Genesis (Year 2 OT reading) and Mark (Year 1 Gospel).
Two things have always facinated me about the Daily Office scriptural readings.
The first, is how often the "rubber hits the road". It often happens that I hear a passage (or sometimes even a phrase) and it applies directly to something in my life. I got into an argument with a long time friend last night (who happens to be older than I am), and the reading this morning from first Timothy began: "Do not speak harshly to an older man, but speak to him as to a father." Honestly, you can't make that up. You can't even plan for it. I found myself laughing throughout the rest of the office, and I was inspired (quite literally by Scripture) to send off a note appologizing for the argument... and I did include the quote because it was both accurate and humorous.
The second thing that facinates me is how our lectionary (the table of reading assignments for any given day of the year) occassionally skips over "nasty" or "difficult" Scriptural passages. When I was at Saint Mary's we tried to "restore" these passages to the Daily Office, particularly in the New Testament, so that we weren't skipping anything. It was a good thing to do. Whatever the content of Scripture, we were forced to deal with what the text actually said - not just those pleasing bits that we might want to hear. Oddly enough today was one of those days. I noticed yesterday that a large swath of 1 Timothy 5 was missing from the assigned reading for today. It was an easy catch: yesterday we read all of chapter 4, but this morning we began mysteriously at the 17th verse of chapter 5, and the lectionary also suggested that we skip the last few verses of the chapter.
What did we skip? Well for starters, we skipped my new favorite line about how not to speak to an older man. We also skipped another great line (in use for ages by Episcopalians): "No longer drink only water, but take a little wine." We also skipped a section dealing with widows both old and young. My guess is that the few verses directing the lives of young women was seen as problematic.
I can only speak for myself, but I think it is really too bad that the one great resource we have for reading the Scriptures makes attempts to gloss over or ignore certain passages. Originally one would read an entire chapter from the Old and New Testament at each office. Perhaps that is too much, but perhaps not. A few more minutes hearing and reflecting on the Scriptures each day seems to me a good thing. I will continue to use the lectionary of our church, but at the daily office I will continue to restore Scriputral passages that have been taken out. Think of it this way: if I had followed the lectionary without looking at was coming, I probably wouldn't have tried to make amends so quickly.
Two things have always facinated me about the Daily Office scriptural readings.
The first, is how often the "rubber hits the road". It often happens that I hear a passage (or sometimes even a phrase) and it applies directly to something in my life. I got into an argument with a long time friend last night (who happens to be older than I am), and the reading this morning from first Timothy began: "Do not speak harshly to an older man, but speak to him as to a father." Honestly, you can't make that up. You can't even plan for it. I found myself laughing throughout the rest of the office, and I was inspired (quite literally by Scripture) to send off a note appologizing for the argument... and I did include the quote because it was both accurate and humorous.
The second thing that facinates me is how our lectionary (the table of reading assignments for any given day of the year) occassionally skips over "nasty" or "difficult" Scriptural passages. When I was at Saint Mary's we tried to "restore" these passages to the Daily Office, particularly in the New Testament, so that we weren't skipping anything. It was a good thing to do. Whatever the content of Scripture, we were forced to deal with what the text actually said - not just those pleasing bits that we might want to hear. Oddly enough today was one of those days. I noticed yesterday that a large swath of 1 Timothy 5 was missing from the assigned reading for today. It was an easy catch: yesterday we read all of chapter 4, but this morning we began mysteriously at the 17th verse of chapter 5, and the lectionary also suggested that we skip the last few verses of the chapter.
What did we skip? Well for starters, we skipped my new favorite line about how not to speak to an older man. We also skipped another great line (in use for ages by Episcopalians): "No longer drink only water, but take a little wine." We also skipped a section dealing with widows both old and young. My guess is that the few verses directing the lives of young women was seen as problematic.
I can only speak for myself, but I think it is really too bad that the one great resource we have for reading the Scriptures makes attempts to gloss over or ignore certain passages. Originally one would read an entire chapter from the Old and New Testament at each office. Perhaps that is too much, but perhaps not. A few more minutes hearing and reflecting on the Scriptures each day seems to me a good thing. I will continue to use the lectionary of our church, but at the daily office I will continue to restore Scriputral passages that have been taken out. Think of it this way: if I had followed the lectionary without looking at was coming, I probably wouldn't have tried to make amends so quickly.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Thought #3
THE DAILY OFFICE: Do you want to make Morning Prayer a regular part of your life? Join the Rector in the church Tuesday – Friday at 7:40 AM. Attire is casual. All are invited. It’s a great chance to read/lead a service. The service lasts 15-20 minutes. Plus.... you will actually read the BIBLE!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Sermuncle #2
Never underestimate the power of prayer. Our Lord said his followers can move mountains with prayer and faith. As I grow older, I am more and more astounded at the power of prayer. Every day Christians pray in public and in private. I invite you to consider taking up the Daily Office as a private or public devotion. If you are not sure how to pray the office, come to Morning Prayer any Tuesday-Friday and I will teach you. If you think joining me in the church and taking part in a public prayer service each day is more up your alley, come to Morning Prayer any Tuesday-Friday and let's PRAY!! Morning Prayer meets Tuesday-Friday, and Sunday mornings at 7:40 AM. If you are interested in starting a Monday or Saturday Morning Prayer service, please let me know!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Sermuncle #1
From this coming Sunday's Epistle: "What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field, God's building."
Where does the rubber meet the road? Each of us has been given different gifts by God to help build up the Body of Christ and spread the good news of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Common gifts that God has given to all of us are our presence and the ability to greet and welcome strangers. In 2010 we grew from 64 people on Sunday to 94. So far in 2011, we are averaging 114 people on Sunday. The common reason that I hear for why someone came back after visiting: "the friendliness of the people and the warm welcome that I recieved."
This Sunday at church (during the Peace and especially before and after the service) introduce yourself to someone you don't know well (or at all!). Every Sunday there are visitors and newcomers who are just waiting for YOU to say "Hi! Welcome to Good Shepherd. My name is XYZ, what's your name?"
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