Announcements for Week Ending February 18th, 2007

The next ECW meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 21st at 11:00 AM (not the usual 10 am.) The time change will accommodate members attending the Noon Mass for Ash Wednesday. Mark your calendars and join us. We’d love to have you!

Novel Theology meets again on March 1 at 7 pm at the home of Ron and Bonnie Edwards. The novel is John Irving’s “Hotel New Hampshire”.

THE ST. BARNABAS GROUP of encouragement for those who have experienced a loss at sometime meets monthly. Next meeting, Monday, February 12 at 11:30 AM, at the City Grill restaurant located at 6464 East Tanque Verde Road. This month please call Lucy Rasmus for reservations.

EPIPHANY GIFTS FOR PRIMAVERA - our treasure chest will be available for those who would like to donate warm clothing, blankets, and sleeping bags to help homeless men, women, and families throughout this season. The Primavera chest will be available through Sunday, February 18th.

CASA MARIA VOLUNTEERS WILL MEET THIS FRIDAY, at 6:30 PM, in the Parish Center to prepare sack lunches. Your help is needed - the volunteers can always use a few extra hands and SHELLED hard-boiled eggs. Join them for fellowship and to help with this good work.

SERVERS NEEDED ~ We are in need of servers for the Sunday 5:00 pm Mass. For more information please call Carol Brandon-298-8021.

PRE-LENTEN POTLUCK FEAST AND HOUSE MASS will take place Saturday, February 17th at 6 PM at the home of Robin Jorstad, with Social Concerns, Episcopal Peace Fellowship and friends. We’re emphasizing the “Social” in “Social Concerns” and “Fellowship” in Peace Fellowship ~ Priest Anglea will introduce some major EPF plans for March as well. Call Robin or e-mail Ila for directions. Please join us!

TRASH PICKUP ALONG MIGRANT ROUTES with Samaritans and friends will take place Saturday, February 17th at 7:30 AM. Assemble at Southside Presbyterian, 317 West 23rd Street (between 9th and 10th avenues.) Bring work gloves, water, personal snacks, money to share gas costs as we carpool to the locations, and most of all a willingness to cherish, learn and serve. Call Ila for details.

“STAYING WITH THE SHIP”

We’ve all read over the past few years about people, parishes and diocese leaving the Episcopal Church. We even heard statements such as “ the church is no longer Christian”. What does this mean for those of us who remain loyal to the Episcopal Church?

“Staying With The Ship” is a course that will look at some of the theological conflicts within the Episcopal Church. Each session is 1 !/2 hours in length beginning Friday, February 23 at 10:30 am. Will meet at the library or Parish Center depending on the size of the class. This Lenten course on Fridays will meet throughout the Lenten Season. The course is lead by Father Douglas.

THERE ARE SIGN-UP SHEETS LOCATED IN THE BACK OF CHURCH

ASH WEDNESDAY IS FEBRUARY 21ST AND IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE FORTY DAY SEASON OF Lent, which ends on the day before Easter. Actually, Ash Wednesday is forty-six days before Easter, but the Sundays in Lent do not count.

The day gets its name from the old custom of marking the forehead with ashes on this day as a sign of penitence. Ashes have always been a symbol of mourning, grief, humiliation and repentance. Old Testament Jews used to wrap themselves in sackcloth and sit in ashes to show how miserable they were over their sins and misfortunes.

In all Roman Catholic churches and many of Episcopal churches the faithful go on Ash Wednesday to the altar to have the priest mark their brows with a small smudge of ashes. As he does so he says to one: “Remember, O man, that thou are dust, and unto dust thou shalt return.”
Those who engage in this ceremony regard it as an appropriate way to begin the year’s most solemn and longest penitential season.