Worship at St. Edward’s: Seventh Sunday of Easter – May 16, 2021

Dear parishioners and friends of St. Edward’s,

With the CDC guidance that came out on Thursday afternoon suggesting that those who are vaccinated can now go without a mask in most circumstances, the bishop has communicated with clergy and lay leaders, via email, regarding “what to do in church this weekend.” (If you have not seen the new guidelines, you can find them here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html).

For now, until the bishop’s Task Force meets next week, we would encourage you for this Sunday to continue under the current recommended protocols that include mask wearing, social distancing, communion in one kind and no singing. There are still those among us who are not vaccinated, and, in Christian community, we must care for those who are most vulnerable, including our children who cannot yet get the vaccine and those who for health reasons, have not yet been vaccinated.

We thank you as we honor our love for God in Christ and continue to care for one another.

Let us pray this Collect for Guidance
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

As we gather for this Seventh Sunday of Easter, below you will find all the necessary links to connect to our 10:15 AM Sunday service on the St. Edward’s YouTube channel, as well as the service bulletins.

And, as always, we welcome you for in-person worship!

Be well.  Keep the faith. Journey in peace.

Michelle

Click here to connect to the Seventh Sunday of Easter service, May 16th, which will be live streamed at 10:15 AM on Sunday. 

Click here to download our 8:00 AM Rite I service bulletin for Seventh Sunday of Easter

Click here to download our 10:15 AM Rite II service bulletin for Seventh Sunday of Easter

*If you enjoy the St. Edward’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster, PA YouTube channel, and you have a Gmail or YouTube account, the next time you tune in, please click the red SUBSCRIBE button on the home page to be included as a subscriber to St. Edward’s!  We would welcome the support and we will not generate any unwanted notifications to you.  Become a part of our St. Edward’s community!   Thank you to those who have subscribed! 


We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you important announcements regarding upcoming events, as well as prayer and Adult Spiritual Formation opportunities.  If you click on the bulletin links above, you will get a complete list of our weekly announcements on the last page of the bulletin.  Stay tuned to our weekly emails and web site posts for updates on specific details. We invite you to celebrate with us, as a community of faith!

We are providing links, below, that may be helpful and informative to you.


vaccinateLancaster.org

Lancaster County, PA COVID-19 Hub

PA Department of Health

Vaccine Distribution Information PA DOH


Parish News:

Scepter  Stories Wanted!
Pictures, articles, updates, and announcements for the June Scepter are due by Thursday, May 20th. If you have any graduates in your family, anything from pre-school to PHD we would love to include pictures and information. Please send it to:  [email protected]

Needle Arts Ministry to meet again!!!!
Commencing Tuesday evening, May 25th at 7 pm this group will meet in the lounge area of the Christian Education wing at St. Edward’s.  PLEASE JOIN US in this time of fellowship, learning, and listening to one another as we engage in all needle arts. . . from knitting, to crochet, cross stitch, to mending clothing.  Whatever needle arts you engage in, you are WELCOME!

Do you know that 1 pint of blood can save three lives?  The precious resource of blood is in constant need by  area medical facilities, and St. Edward’s is offering an opportunity for our parishioners to donate a pint. Mark Saturday, June 5, on your calendar and then watch for the soon-to-be-announced sign-up link to complete the required registration.  The event will be held in our parish hall.  Questions? Contact Leslie Arnold.


What a great day with team St. Edward’s as we walked together, prayed together, and shared stories during our “walk your way” Race Against Racism in downtown Lancaster.  It was a beautiful day both in weather and in being in fellowship!  Thank you to all who participated in this invitational opportunity to be in solidarity for naming the need to create change and showing that working together can make a difference.   If you took photos and would like to share them on social media, please tag them: #rarlancaster

For Social Justice (BCP p. 823)
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the people of this land], that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Please continue your support of the Hempfield Area Food Pantry. Current food list:  Canned green beans; canned corn; canned peas; canned applesauce; cereal; pancake mix; pancake syrup; large grape jelly; bagged noodles.

The Faith in Action committee asks for your help collecting some books for prisoners in Lancaster. An Episcopalian prison chaplain, Deacon Stacey Catigano, keeps a library for prisoners, and she could use some Bibles and other devotional or inspirational titles to circulate among prisoners. You can either donate books or money to buy them. Just drop off your donations in the narthex or make out a check to St. Edward’s with “books for prisoners” in the memo line.  To learn more about this project, stop by the bookcase in the narthex and pick up a flyer and browse some of the books we have already collected.  Let us show our love for our incarcerated brothers and sisters.   You can also click here to see what kinds of books are needed.

Curious about becoming a prison ministry volunteer?  If you feel God is calling you to prison ministry, please join a Zoom Q&A Meeting on Sunday, June 6th at 1 PM to learn more.  The Rev. Stacey Catigano, Deacon, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster will be the host.  Please contact Deacon Stacey (717) 799 -9764 or email: [email protected] to sign up. There are information flyers in our narthex, and by clicking here.

St. Edward’s is offering a full complement of Adult Spiritual Formation.  Click here for our Spring information sheet. Please check your weekly emails which will have all the study details & Zoom invitation details.

Sunday Evening Prayer: Each Sunday at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested can send Br. David Rutledge an email to be put on an email distribution list: [email protected] Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95355083080 Meeting ID: 953 5508 3080

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution.  Pledges/giving can be mailed to the church, and we also have an easy-to-use “Give to St. Edward’s” button on our website that links to our secure Paypal page, as well as a “Donate” button on our YouTube Channel home page.

To assist parishes, the diocese has set up online giving for each parish.  If you feel comfortable making your weekly giving or pledge donation in this manner (it is a secure giving tool), simply go to the diocesan web site, click on the tab up top and it will take you to a page where you can scroll down, find St. Edward’s, and continue with making your contribution!  Thank you for maintaining your faithfulness through your financial stewardship!

Click here if you would like to donate online through the diocesan portal. You will scroll down to find St. Edward’s under Lancaster. The portal is a secure giving site.

 

Worship at St. Edward’s: Sixth Sunday of Easter – May 9, 2021

Dear parishioners and friends of St. Edward’s,

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, tomorrow, we honor all mothers, and all the loving and mothering hearts and souls in our world, who give their love and compassion so freely, every day, and in the times in our lives that require us to turn to them, at any given moment, to help see us through. We offer this blessing from the book, Earth Gospel, based on Hosea 14:7.

May you rest beneath God’s shade,
flourish like a garden,
blossom like a vine;
and your soul become as fragrant
as the finest wine.

This Sunday is also known as Rogation Sunday, on the Episcopal calendar, which is followed by Rogation Days – Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, leading to the feast of the Ascension, which is on Thursday.  The word Rogation is from the Latin noun, rogatio, meaning “asking” (the verb is rogare, “to ask”). These are days of fasting and prayer in which we are asking for God’s blessing on agriculture and industry.  We will read the collect for Rogation Sunday, tomorrow, in our services.  And, we offer this collect to you, For Rogation Days, to pray with, next week:

For fruitful seasons
Almighty God, Lord of heaven and earth: We humbly pray that your gracious providence may give and preserve to our use the harvests of the land and of the seas, and may prosper all who labor to gather them, that we, who are constantly receiving good things from your hand, may always give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Below you will find all the necessary links to connect to our 10:15 AM Sunday service on the St. Edward’s YouTube channel, as well as the service bulletins for the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

And, as always, we welcome you to come to in-person worship!

Be well.  Keep the faith. Journey in peace.

Michelle

Click here to connect to the Sixth Sunday of Easter service, May 9th, which will be live streamed at 10:15 AM on Sunday. 

Click here to download our 8:00 AM Rite I service bulletin for Sixth Sunday of Easter

Click here to download our 10:15 AM Rite II service bulletin for Sixth Sunday of Easter

A few friendly reminders for those returning to in-person worship and for those new to our in-person worship:

– We will have ushers/greeters inside the narthex and they will have the service bulletins for you.
We will also continue to take your name and contact information.

– Please do not forget to wear your mask.

– Ushers will direct you to pew locations to maintain social distancing and will also guide you during communion.

– As we will not pass the offering plate, it will be located on the pedestal at the back of the church for you to place your Sunday offerings.

– On the shelf in the narthex are materials that you may find of interest to take home with you.

*If you enjoy the St. Edward’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster, PA YouTube channel, and you have a Gmail or YouTube account, the next time you tune in, please click the red SUBSCRIBE button on the home page to be included as a subscriber to St. Edward’s!  We would welcome the support and we will not generate any unwanted notifications to you.  Become a part of our St. Edward’s community!   Thank you to those who have subscribed! 


We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you important announcements regarding upcoming events, as well as prayer and Adult Spiritual Formation opportunities.  If you click on the bulletin links above, you will get a complete list of our weekly announcements on the last page of the bulletin.

We continue to honor the guidance delivered by our bishop, as well as our love for God in Christ, to care for one another, by remaining socially distanced, and refrain from in-person fellowship gathering.  There are many opportunities for us to worship, and perform ministry, in community, in ways that are of comfort to us, during this continued Covidtide. Please see a listing below and stay tuned to our weekly emails, web site posts, and Sunday bulletins for updates on specific details. We invite you to celebrate with us, as a community of faith!

We are providing four links, below, that may be helpful and informative to you.


vaccinateLancaster.org

Lancaster County, PA COVID-19 Hub

PA Department of Health

Vaccine Distribution Information PA DOH



Do you know that 1 pint of blood can save three lives?  The precious resource of blood is in constant need by  area medical facilities, and St. Edward’s is offering an opportunity for our parishioners to donate a pint. Mark Saturday, June 5, on your calendar and then watch for the soon-to-be-announced sign-up link to complete the required registration.  The event will be held in our parish hall.  Questions? Contact Leslie Arnold.


St. Edward’s continues to invite people to join our team to “walk our way” in the YWCA 2021 Race Against Racism.  For more information on this event and to learn how to join us, please click the links below (they include passwords for registration). It is never to late to register to participate with us on May 15th!  We are so grateful for the support!  We have 22 participants signed up!

St. Edward’s Registration Information Flier

YWCA Race Against Racism brochure

Please continue your support of the Hempfield Area Food Pantry. Current food list:  Canned green beans; canned corn; canned peas; canned applesauce; cereal; pancake mix; pancake syrup; large grape jelly; bagged noodles.

The Faith in Action committee asks for your help collecting some books for prisoners in Lancaster. An Episcopalian prison chaplain, Deacon Stacey Catigano, keeps a library for prisoners, and she could use some Bibles and other devotional or inspirational titles to circulate among prisoners. You can either donate books or money to buy them. Just drop off your donations in the narthex or make out a check to St. Edward’s with “books for prisoners” in the memo line.  To learn more about this project, stop by the bookcase in the narthex and pick up a flyer and browse some of the books we have already collected.  Let us show our love for our incarcerated brothers and sisters.   You can also click here to see what kinds of books are needed.

Curious about becoming a prison ministry volunteer?  If you feel God is calling you to prison ministry, please join a Zoom Q&A Meeting on Sunday, June 6th at 1 PM to learn more.  The Rev. Stacey Catigano, Deacon, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster will be the host.  Please contact Deacon Stacey (717) 799 -9764 or email: [email protected] to sign up. There are information flyers in our narthex, and by clicking here.

St. Edward’s is offering a full complement of Adult Spiritual Formation.  Click here for our Spring information sheet. Please check your weekly emails which will have all the study details & Zoom invitation details.

Sunday Evening Prayer: Each Sunday at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested can send Br. David Rutledge an email to be put on an email distribution list: [email protected] Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95355083080 Meeting ID: 953 5508 3080

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution.  Pledges/giving can be mailed to the church, and we also have an easy-to-use “Give to St. Edward’s” button on our website that links to our secure Paypal page, as well as a “Donate” button on our YouTube Channel home page.

To assist parishes, the diocese has set up online giving for each parish.  If you feel comfortable making your weekly giving or pledge donation in this manner (it is a secure giving tool), simply go to the diocesan web site, click on the tab up top and it will take you to a page where you can scroll down, find St. Edward’s, and continue with making your contribution!  Thank you for maintaining your faithfulness through your financial stewardship!

Click here if you would like to donate online through the diocesan portal. You will scroll down to find St. Edward’s under Lancaster. The portal is a secure giving site.

Worship at St. Edward’s: Fourth Sunday of Easter: April 25, 2021

Dear parishioners and friends of St. Edward’s,

We welcome you to worship with us as we celebrate this Fourth Sunday of Easter.  All essential information and links for our Sunday services are noted below. 

I prayerfully request that we continue to refrain from gathering, with other parishioners, in public groups, without masks. In Lancaster County, we continue to move towards wider distribution of vaccines, and within our diocese, we are adhering to the same safety protocols we submitted in 2020 for our in-person worship.  We are all in this together, and honoring our parish community, by continuing to comply with the recommendations set forth during this time, conveys our love for God in Christ, the members of our parish family, and the wider community.

We are providing four links, below, that may be helpful and informative to you.

vaccinateLancaster.org
**If you need assistance in registering/navigating this website, please contact me, or the parish office, and we will assist you.

Lancaster County, PA COVID-19 Hub

PA Department of Health

Vaccine Distribution Information PA DOH

Father Rick+



At St. Edward’s today, we held a wonderful day of stewardship of our spiritual home – weeding, mulching, power washing our siding, tending to the care and feeding of our Memorial Garden Celtic Cross. (Thank you, Father Rick+) and thank you to Mike Freshwater for his photo skills!


A wonderful outpouring of love for our St. Edward’s home. In addition to this ministry, we are pleased to reveal the completion of the Memorial Garden monument, with the installation of the carved “wings” representing St. Edward and the Celtic cross.  This sacred space is a wonderful place to pay our respects to those who have gone before us and to sit in quiet contemplation and take in the beauty of our natural world.  We invite you to visit!

Working outside today not only made me grateful for the beauty of the earth, but for the beauty of being in community with others and sharing our faithful stewardship of God’s generosity.

A Collect:
For stewardship of creation
(BCP 259)

O merciful Creator, your hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living creature: Make us always thankful for your loving providence; and grant that we, remembering the account that we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of your good gifts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Be well.  Stay safe.  Keep the faith.

Michelle

Click here to connect to the Fourth Sunday of Easter service, April 25th, which will be live streamed at 10:15 AM on Sunday. 

Click here to download our 8:00 AM Rite I service bulletin for Fourth Sunday of Easter

Click here to download our 10:15 AM Rite II service bulletin for Fourth Sunday of Easter

A few friendly reminders for those returning to in-person worship and for those new to our in-person worship:

– We will have ushers/greeters inside the narthex and they will have the service bulletins for you.
We will also continue to take your name and contact information.

– Please do not forget to wear your mask.

– Ushers will direct you to pew locations to maintain social distancing and will also guide you during communion.

– As we will not pass the offering plate, it will be located on the pedestal at the back of the church for you to place your Sunday offerings.

– On the shelf in the narthex are materials that you may find of interest to take home with you.

*If you enjoy the St. Edward’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster, PA YouTube channel, and you have a Gmail or YouTube account, the next time you tune in, please click the red SUBSCRIBE button on the home page to be included as a subscriber to St. Edward’s!  We would welcome the support and we will not generate any unwanted notifications to you.  Become a part of our St. Edward’s community!   Thank you to those who have subscribed! 


We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you important announcements regarding upcoming events, as well as prayer and Adult Spiritual Formation opportunities.  If you click on the bulletin links above, you will get a complete list of our weekly announcements on the last page of the bulletin.

We continue to honor the guidance delivered by our bishop, as well as our love for God in Christ, to care for one another, by remaining socially distanced, and refrain from in-person fellowship gathering.  There are many opportunities for us to worship, and perform ministry, in community, in ways that are of comfort to us, during this continued Covidtide. Please see a listing below and stay tuned to our weekly emails, web site posts, and Sunday bulletins for updates on specific details. We invite you to celebrate with us, as a community of faith!

Our virtual reception to honor Father Rick+ in our shared Celebration of a New Ministry is tomorrow at 12 Noon!  All the details for tuning in, via Zoom, are below:

A Zoom Reception for Father Rick+ on Sunday, April 25th 
Time: Apr 25, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89525858930?pwd=TUFIUEpCSkxNb3FtREhzNXlyTmlRUT09

Meeting ID: 895 2585 8930
Passcode: 294597
One tap mobile
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+19292056099,,89525858930#,,,,*294597# US (New York)

Dial by your location
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+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
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+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 895 2585 8930
Passcode: 294597
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbRoACr61S


St. Edward’s is forming a team to “walk our way” in the YWCA 2021 Race Against Racism.  For more information on this event and to learn how to join us, please click the links below (they include passwords for registration). It is never to late to register to participate with us on May 15th! 

For those who have registered, we have picked up your team “swag.”  When you come to church, in the next 2 weeks, please stop by the library area in the Christian Ed wing and pick up your items.  Each person’s items will be on the library table with your name on them.

St. Edward’s Registration Information Flier

YWCA Race Against Racism brochure

Please continue your support of the Hempfield Area Food Pantry. April food list:  Canned green beans; canned corn; canned peas; canned applesauce; cereal; pancake mix; pancake syrup; large grape jelly; bagged noodles.  This month we have donated $4,500 to the HAFP.  The support from the St. Edward’s community is a wonderful tribute to our Faith in Action.  And, we should note, we have parishioners who also make substantial monetary donations directly to HAFP.  We thank you all, in all the ways you support this important ministry.

St. Edward’s is offering a full complement of Adult Spiritual Formation.  Click here for our Spring information sheet. Please check your weekly emails which will have all the study details & Zoom invitation details.

Sunday Evening Prayer: Each Sunday at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested can send Br. David Rutledge an email to be put on an email distribution list: [email protected] Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95355083080 Meeting ID: 953 5508 3080

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution.  Pledges/giving can be mailed to the church, and we also have an easy-to-use “Give to St. Edward’s” button on our website that links to our secure Paypal page, as well as a “Donate” button on our YouTube Channel home page.

To assist parishes, the diocese has set up online giving for each parish.  If you feel comfortable making your weekly giving or pledge donation in this manner (it is a secure giving tool), simply go to the diocesan web site, click on the tab up top and it will take you to a page where you can scroll down, find St. Edward’s, and continue with making your contribution!  Thank you for maintaining your faithfulness through your financial stewardship!

Click here if you would like to donate online through the diocesan portal. You will scroll down to find St. Edward’s under Lancaster. The portal is a secure giving site.

Third Sunday of Easter Worship at St. Edward’s – April 18th

Dear parishioners and friends of St. Edward’s,

We welcome you to worship with us as we celebrate this Third Sunday of Easter.  All essential information and links for our Sunday services are noted below

I prayerfully request that we continue to refrain from gathering, with other parishioners, in public groups, without masks. In Lancaster County, we continue to move towards wider distribution of vaccines, and within our diocese, we are adhering to the same safety protocols we submitted in 2020 for our in-person worship.  We are all in this together, and honoring our parish community, by continuing to comply with the recommendations set forth during this time, conveys our love for God in Christ, the members of our parish family, and the wider community.

We are providing four links, below, that may be helpful and informative to you.


vaccinateLancaster.org
**If you need assistance in registering/navigating this website, please contact me, or the parish office, and we will assist you.

Lancaster County, PA COVID-19 Hub

PA Department of Health

Vaccine Distribution Information PA DOH

Father Rick+



At St. Edward’s today, it was glorious to see so many people stop by to view our Memorial Garden monument that was installed this past week. We will be adding the final touches to the monument in the next 10 days. 

To see people meander up the garden path and be able to sit and pay respects to their loved ones and touch the name plaques on the monument brought tears to my eyes.  As I was out in the garden, sitting next to St. Francis, the patron saint of ecology and animals, and as we approach Earth Day, this week, as well as make wonderful preparations for the most important event in the life of our parish and for Father Rick+ – a Celebration of a New Ministry,  it seems like a wonderful opportunity to pray these words by St. Francis:

A Song of Praise by St. Francis

You are holy, Lord, the only God,
and your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are Almighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, Lord God, living and true.
You are love. You are wisdom.
You are humility. You are endurance.
You are rest. You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and you suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, great and wonderful Lord,
God Almighty, merciful Savior.

Source: St. Francis, d. 1226

Be well.  Stay safe.  Keep the faith.

Michelle

Click here to connect to the Third Sunday of Easter service, April 18th, which will be live streamed at 10:15 AM on Sunday.

Click here to download our 8:00 AM Rite I service bulletin for Third Sunday of Easter

Click here to download our 10:15 AM Rite II service bulletin for Third Sunday of Easter

A few friendly reminders for those returning to in-person worship and for those new to our in-person worship:

– We will have ushers/greeters inside the narthex and they will have the service bulletins for you. We will also continue to take your name and contact information.

– Please do not forget to wear your mask.

– Ushers will direct you to pew locations to maintain social distancing and will also guide you during communion.

– As we will not pass the offering plate, it will be located on the pedestal at the back of the church for you to place your Sunday offerings.

– On the shelf in the narthex are materials that you may find of interest to take home with you.

*If you enjoy the St. Edward’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster, PA YouTube channel, and you have a Gmail or YouTube account, the next time you tune in, please click the red SUBSCRIBE button on the home page to be included as a subscriber to St. Edward’s!  We would welcome the support and we will not generate any unwanted notifications to you.  Become a part of our St. Edward’s community!   Thank you to those who have subscribed! 


We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you important announcements regarding upcoming events, as well as prayer and Adult Spiritual Formation opportunities.  If you click on the bulletin links above, you will get a complete list of our weekly announcements on the last page of the bulletin.

We continue to honor the guidance delivered by our bishop, as well as our love for God in Christ, to care for one another, by remaining socially distanced, and refrain from in-person fellowship gathering.  There are many opportunities for us to worship, and perform ministry, in community, in ways that are of comfort to us, during this continued Covidtide. Please see a listing below and stay tuned to our weekly emails, web site posts, and Sunday bulletins for updates on specific details. We invite you to celebrate with us, as a community of faith!

Click here to view all of the important details for the Celebration of a New Ministry events for Father Rick+


We will participate in ALL events virtually.  For the Wednesday, April 21st 7 PM service, via our YouTube Channel, and for our April 25th 12 Noon reception, via Zoom. 


St. Edward’s is forming a team to “walk our way” in the YWCA 2021 Race Against Racism.  For more information on this event and to learn how to join us, please click the links below. Thank you to all who signed up by April 7th to receive the race “swag.”  We would encourage others to join us and you can register up to the race date to participate.  All of the registration details are in the links below.

St. Edward’s Registration Information Flier

YWCA Race Against Racism brochure

Please continue your support of the Hempfield Area Food Pantry. April food list:  Canned green beans; canned corn; canned peas; canned applesauce; cereal; pancake mix; pancake syrup; large grape jelly; bagged noodles.

St. Edward’s is offering a full complement of Adult Spiritual Formation.  Click here for our Spring information sheet. Please check your weekly emails which will have all the study details & Zoom invitation details.

Sunday Evening Prayer: Each Sunday at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested can send Br. David Rutledge an email to be put on an email distribution list: [email protected] Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95355083080 Meeting ID: 953 5508 3080

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution.  Pledges/giving can be mailed to the church, and we also have an easy-to-use “Give to St. Edward’s” button on our website that links to our secure Paypal page, as well as a “Donate” button on our YouTube Channel home page.

To assist parishes, the diocese has set up online giving for each parish.  If you feel comfortable making your weekly giving or pledge donation in this manner (it is a secure giving tool), simply go to the diocesan web site, click on the tab up top and it will take you to a page where you can scroll down, find St. Edward’s, and continue with making your contribution!  Thank you for maintaining your faithfulness through your financial stewardship!

Click here if you would like to donate online through the diocesan portal. You will scroll down to find St. Edward’s under Lancaster. The portal is a secure giving site.

 

Second Sunday of Easter Worship at St. Edward’s – April 11, 2021

Dear parishioners and friends of St. Edward’s,

We welcome you to worship with us as we celebrate this Second Sunday of Easter, with joy, and praises of Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!  All essential information and links for our Sunday services are noted below

I prayerfully request that we continue to refrain from gathering, with other parishioners, in public groups, without masks. In Lancaster County, we continue to move towards wider distribution of vaccines, and within our diocese, we are adhering to the same safety protocols we submitted in 2020 for our in-person worship.  We are all in this together, and honoring our parish community, by continuing to comply with the recommendations set forth during this time, conveys our love for God in Christ, the members of our parish family, and the wider community.

We are providing four links, below, that may be helpful and informative to you.


vaccinateLancaster.org
**If you need assistance in registering/navigating this website, please contact me, or the parish office, and we will assist you.

Lancaster County, PA COVID-19 Hub

PA Department of Health

Vaccine Distribution Information PA DOH

Father Rick+


A wonderful weekend with many things happening at St. Edward’s.  Always great work being accomplished “behind the scenes” on campus!  As our Installation Committee so lovingly is making plans for Father Rick’s+ installation service – A Celebration of New Ministry, on April 21st at 7:00 pm, followed by a wonderful reception, via Zoom, on Sunday, April 25th, at 12 Noon. Our “Sweaty Saturday” clean-up event, organized by Mike Freshwater, on Saturday, April 24th, is taking shape; and ministries are continuing to meet and plan, via Zoom – from Faith In Action, to vestry, and the finance committee.  Wait. . . there’s more:  The weekly Adult Spiritual Formation from Bible Study, to Friday Lunch and Learn, and two opportunities for Evening Prayer each week, feed us in ways that are transformative.

It reminds us to Walk in Love, every day, and to make this day a day of spiritual joy and peace as we take comfort in the knowledge of God’s steadfast love for us all.

Be well.  Stay safe.  Keep the faith.

Michelle

Click here to connect to the Second Sunday of Easter service, April 11th, which will be live streamed at 10:15 AM on Sunday. 

Click here to download our 8:00 AM Rite I service bulletin for Second Sunday of Easter

Click here to download our 10:15 AM Rite II service bulletin for Second Sunday of Easter

A few friendly reminders for those returning to in-person worship and for those new to our in-person worship:

– We will have ushers/greeters inside the narthex and they will have the service bulletins for you.
We will also continue to take your name and contact information.

– Please do not forget to wear your mask.

– Ushers will direct you to pew locations to maintain social distancing and will also guide you during communion.

– As we will not pass the offering plate, it will be located on the pedestal at the back of the church for you to place your Sunday offerings.

– On the shelf in the narthex are materials that you may find of interest to take home with you.

*If you enjoy the St. Edward’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster, PA YouTube channel, and you have a Gmail or YouTube account, the next time you tune in, please click the red SUBSCRIBE button on the home page to be included as a subscriber to St. Edward’s!  We would welcome the support and we will not generate any unwanted notifications to you.  Become a part of our St. Edward’s community!   Thank you to those who have subscribed! 

We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you important announcements regarding upcoming events, as well as prayer and adult spiritual formation opportunities.

We continue to honor the guidance delivered by our bishop, as well as our love for God in Christ, to care for one another, by remaining socially distanced, and refrain from in-person fellowship gathering.  There are many opportunities for us to worship, and perform ministry, in community, in ways that are of comfort to us, during this continued Covidtide. Please see a listing below and stay tuned to our weekly emails, web site posts, and Sunday bulletins for updates on specific details. We invite you to celebrate with us, as a community of faith!

We would like to encourage people in our parish to represent St. Edward’s at a FAITH & JUSTICE ASSEMBLY, next Sunday, April 18th at 4:00 PM, via Zoom.  We are seeking 15 people to represent our parish at this event.  To participate, you will need to register ahead of time.  Once you are registered, you will receive the proper Zoom Webinar link. Because they are utilizing the Webinar function, the precise Zoom link may change. With registrations, the organizers can keep people abreast of what is going on.

Lancaster Mayor Darene Sorace will speak. Mayor Sorace will commit publicly to helping POWER Lancaster County with our campaign to support Governor Wolf’s plan for 100% Fair Funding for Education utilizing the PA Fair Funding Formula. More information will follow.

The Registration link is:
tinyurl.com/Enough4ALLPA


Please let the parish office know that you have registered so that we can be informed as to who will be representing St. Edward’s, by attending the webinar.

Let us reflect on a prayer from The Book of Common Prayer, page 823

Prayer For Social Justice

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the people of this land], that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Edward’s is forming a team to “walk our way” in the YWCA 2021 Race Against Racism.  For more information on this event and to learn how to join us, please click the links below. Thank you to all who signed up by April 7th to receive the race “swag.”  We would encourage others to join us and you can register up to the race date to participate.  All of the registration details are in the links below.

St. Edward’s Registration Information Flier

YWCA Race Against Racism brochure

Please continue your support of the Hempfield Area Food Pantry. Let us continue our tradition of generosity for those less fortunate than ourselves.

St. Edward’s is offering a full complement of Adult Spiritual Formation.  Click here for our Spring information sheet. Please check your weekly emails which will have all the study details & Zoom invitation details.

Bible Study: Wednesday Evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM: For questions, please contact Bob Mosebach at [email protected] or Leslie Arnold at [email protected].

Lunch & Learn: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices: Fridays from 12 Noon – 1 PM led by Bob Mosebach

Friday Evening Prayer: Each Friday at 7:00 PM hosted by Patrick and Dina Ishler
Join us on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86327105082
Join Code:  863 2710 5082

Sunday Evening Prayer: Each Sunday at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested can send Br. David Rutledge an email to be put on an email distribution list: [email protected] Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95355083080 Meeting ID: 953 5508 3080

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution.  Pledges/giving can be mailed to the church, and we also have an easy-to-use “Give to St. Edward’s” button on our website that links to our secure Paypal page, as well as a “Donate” button on our YouTube Channel home page.

To assist parishes, the diocese has set up online giving for each parish.  If you feel comfortable making your weekly giving or pledge donation in this manner (it is a secure giving tool), simply go to the diocesan web site, click on the tab up top and it will take you to a page where you can scroll down, find St. Edward’s, and continue with making your contribution!  Thank you for maintaining your faithfulness through your financial stewardship!

Click here if you would like to donate online through the diocesan portal. You will scroll down to find St. Edward’s under Lancaster. The portal is a secure giving site.

 

 

Easter Sunday Worship at St. Edward’s – April 4, 2021

 

Dear parishioners and friends of St. Edward’s,

We welcome you to worship with us as we celebrate this Easter Sunday, with joy, and praises of Alleluia, Christ is risen!  All essential information and links for Easter Sunday services are noted below

I prayerfully request that we continue to refrain from gathering, with other parishioners, in public groups, without masks. In Lancaster County, we continue to move towards wider distribution of vaccines, and within our diocese, we are adhering to the same safety protocols we submitted in 2020 for our in-person worship.  We are all in this together, and honoring our parish community, by continuing to comply with the recommendations set forth during this time, conveys our love for God in Christ, the members of our parish family, and the wider community.

Here are three links that may be helpful:


vaccinateLancaster.org
**If you need assistance in registering/navigating this website, please contact me, or the parish office, and we will assist you.

Lancaster County, PA COVID-19 Hub

PA Department of Health

Father Rick+


Tonight, we leave you with the Collect for Holy Saturday from The Book of Common Prayer (pg 221)

O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Be well.  Stay safe.  Keep the faith.

Michelle

Easter Vigil – Diocesan offering. Visit their website:  https://diocesecpa.org/holy-week-2021/

Easter Sunday Service Information:


6:30 AM Sunrise Service – outdoors, in-person – Please wear your mask, bring your own chair, and dress warmly!

Click here to connect to the Easter Sunday service, April 4th, which will be live streamed at 10:15 AM on Sunday. 

Click here to download our 8:00 AM Rite I service bulletin for Easter Sunday

Click here to download our 10:15 AM Rite II service bulletin for Easter Sunday

A few friendly reminders for those returning to in-person worship and for those new to our in-person worship:

– We will have ushers/greeters inside the narthex and they will have the service bulletins for you.
We will also continue to take your name and contact information.

– Please do not forget to wear your mask.

– Ushers will direct you to pew locations to maintain social distancing and will also guide you during communion.

– As we will not pass the offering plate, it will be located on the pedestal at the back of the church for you to place your Sunday offerings.

– On the shelf in the narthex are materials that you may find of interest to take home with you.

*If you enjoy the St. Edward’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster, PA YouTube channel, and you have a Gmail or YouTube account, the next time you tune in, please click the red SUBSCRIBE button on the home page to be included as a subscriber to St. Edward’s!  We would welcome the support and we will not generate any unwanted notifications to you.  Become a part of our St. Edward’s community!   Thank you to those who have subscribed! 


We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you important announcements regarding upcoming events, as well as prayer and adult spiritual formation opportunities.

We continue to honor the guidance delivered by our bishop, as well as our love for God in Christ, to care for one another, by remaining socially distanced, and refrain from in-person fellowship gathering.  There are many opportunities for us to worship, and perform ministry, in community, in ways that are of comfort to us, during this continued Covidtide. Please see a listing below and stay tuned to our weekly emails, web site posts, and Sunday bulletins for updates on specific details. We invite you to celebrate with us, as a community of faith!


St. Edward’s is forming a team to “walk our way” in the YWCA 2021 Race Against Racism.  For more information on this event and to learn how to join us, please click the links below.  Our team members must register by THIS WEDNESDAY, April 7th!

St. Edward’s Registration Information Flier

YWCA Race Against Racism brochure

Click here to view our April Scepter online

April grocery cards are in your parish mailboxes.

The parish office will be closed Monday, April 5th – Thursday April 8th.  For pastoral emergencies, please contact Father Rick+, or Michelle Bentley.

Please continue your support of the Hempfield Area Food Pantry. Let us continue our tradition of generosity for those less fortunate than ourselves.

St. Edward’s is offering a full complement of Adult Spiritual Formation which continues through Lent! Please check your weekly emails which will have all the study details & Zoom invitation details.

Bible Study: Wednesday Evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM: For questions, please contact Bob Mosebach at [email protected] or Leslie Arnold at [email protected].

Lunch & Learn: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices: Fridays from 12 Noon – 1 PM led by Bob Mosebach

Friday Evening Prayer: Each Friday at 7:00 PM hosted by Patrick and Dina Ishler
Join us on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86327105082
Join Code:  863 2710 5082

Sunday Evening Prayer: Each Sunday (Except Easter Sunday) at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested can send Br. David Rutledge an email to be put on an email distribution list: [email protected] Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95355083080 Meeting ID: 953 5508 3080

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution.  Pledges/giving can be mailed to the church, and we also have an easy-to-use “Give to St. Edward’s” button on our website that links to our secure Paypal page, as well as a “Donate” button on our YouTube Channel home page.

To assist parishes, the diocese has set up online giving for each parish.  If you feel comfortable making your weekly giving or pledge donation in this manner (it is a secure giving tool), simply go to the diocesan web site, click on the tab up top and it will take you to a page where you can scroll down, find St. Edward’s, and continue with making your contribution!  Thank you for maintaining your faithfulness through your financial stewardship!

Click here if you would like to donate online through the diocesan portal. You will scroll down to find St. Edward’s under Lancaster. The portal is a secure giving site.

 

 

 

Worship at St. Edward’s – Palm Sunday, March 28, 2021

Dear parishioners and friends of St. Edward’s,

We welcome you to information regarding the return of our in-person worship, online worship essential links, and ministry offerings for this Sunday, Palm Sunday.  All essential links are noted below. 

I prayerfully request that we continue to refrain from gathering, with other parishioners, in public groups, without masks. In Lancaster County, we continue to move towards wider distribution of vaccines, and within our diocese, we are adhering to the same safety protocols we submitted in 2020 for our in-person worship.  We are all in this together, and honoring our parish community, by continuing to comply with the recommendations set forth during this time, conveys our love for God in Christ, the members of our parish family, and the wider community.

Here are three links that may be helpful:


vaccinateLancaster.org
**If you need assistance in registering/navigating this website, please contact me, or the parish office, and we will assist you.

Lancaster County, PA COVID-19 Hub

PA Department of Health

Father Rick+

As we enter this holiest of weeks, we are in deep prayer and silence, relying on our strong hearts, our willing hearts, and our believing hearts to endure the burdens of this life as we walk in the way of the cross and remember our Lord Jesus Christ, and all that he gave, of himself, for us.

Saint Paul said:  Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Be well.  Stay safe.  Keep the faith.

Michelle

Sunday Service Information: 

Click here to connect to the Palm Sunday service, March 28th, which will be live streamed at 10:15 AM on Sunday. 

Click here to download our 8:00 AM Rite I service bulletin for Palm Sunday.

Click here to download our 10:15 AM Rite II service bulletin for Palm Sunday.

A few friendly reminders for those returning to in-person worship and for those new to our in-person worship:


– For Palm Sunday, when you arrive at church, please pick up a blessed palm , along with your service bulletin, before you enter the sanctuary.  **If you are not attending in-person worship on Palm Sunday, we have placed blessed palms outside our front doors for you to pick up, today.

– We will have ushers/greeters inside the narthex and they will have the service bulletins for you.  We will also continue to take your name and contact information.

– Please do not forget to wear your mask.

– Ushers will direct you to pew locations to maintain social distancing and will also guide you during communion.

– As we will not pass the offering plate, it will be located on the pedestal at the back of the church for you to place your Sunday offerings.

– On the shelf in the narthex are materials that you may find of interest to take home with you, as well as the sign up sheet for Easter flowers with envelopes for your donation.

*If you enjoy the St. Edward’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster, PA YouTube channel, and you have a Gmail or YouTube account, the next time you tune in, please click the red SUBSCRIBE button on the home page to be included as a subscriber to St. Edward’s!  We would welcome the support and we will not generate any unwanted notifications to you.  Become a part of our St. Edward’s community!   Thank you to those who have subscribed! 


We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you important announcements regarding upcoming events, as well as prayer and adult spiritual formation opportunities.

We continue to honor the guidance delivered by our bishop, as well as our love for God in Christ, to care for one another, by remaining socially distanced, and refrain from in-person fellowship gathering.  There are many opportunities for us to worship, and perform ministry, in community, in ways that are of comfort to us, during this continued Covidtide. Please see a listing below and stay tuned to our weekly emails, web site posts, and Sunday bulletins for updates on specific details. We invite you to celebrate with us, as a community of faith!


If you would like to participate in our Easter Flowers, “in memory of,” or “in thanksgiving for,” a loved one, friends, family, please sign up on the clipboard in the narthex this Sunday, or email the parish office by Wednesday of this week with your names to be printed in the Easter Sunday bulletin.  Flower donation requested is $20.  Your donations help us beautify the altar and pews for Easter Sunday.


Holy Week service information is as follows:

Tenebrae – Diocesan offering.  Visit their website: https://diocesecpa.org/holy-week-2021/

Maundy Thursday:  7:00 PM at St. Edward’s in-person and via our live stream YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNdh6URgkKg6HXMsrDiLhWw

Good Friday:  7:00 PM at St. Edward’s in-person and via our live stream YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNdh6URgkKg6HXMsrDiLhWw

Easter Vigil – Diocesan offering. Visit their website:  https://diocesecpa.org/holy-week-2021/

Easter Sunday at St. Edward’s:
6:30 AM Sunrise Service – outdoors, in-person, weather permitting

8:00 AM – Rite I in-person
10:15 AM – Rite II in-person and via our live stream YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNdh6URgkKg6HXMsrDiLhWw


St. Edward’s is forming a team to “walk our way” in the YWCA 2021 Race Against Racism.  For more information on this event and to learn how to join us, please click the links below.  Our team members must register by April 7th!

St. Edward’s Registration Information Flier

YWCA Race Against Racism brochure

Please continue your support of the Hempfield Area Food Pantry. Let us continue our tradition of generosity for those less fortunate than ourselves.  Requested food items for the month of March are:

Large peanut butter
Large jelly
Canned corn
Canned carrots
Canned mixed vegetables
Mac and cheese
2 pound package of dried pinto beans

Soles 4 Souls: St. Edward’s, with Saint John’s of Lancaster will collect shoes through Palm Sunday, March 28th and we invite parishioners to donate used shoes. The shoes can be lightly used to falling apart. Collection boxes will be placed in the sanctuary. Please tie any laced shoes together and rubber band all other shoe types.

St. Edward’s is offering a full complement of Adult Spiritual Formation which continues through Lent! Please check your weekly emails which will have all the study details & Zoom invitation details.

Bible Study: Wednesday Evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM: For questions, please contact Bob Mosebach at [email protected] or Leslie Arnold at [email protected].

Lunch & Learn: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices: Fridays from 12 Noon – 1 PM led by Bob Mosebach

The Way of the Cross: Go to our St. Edward’s YouTube Channel to view our Stations of the Cross, each week, as a Lenten discipline. You will find the pre-recorded offering and a Way of the Cross pdf to download.
The Way of the Cross on the St. Edward’s YouTube Channel, click here.

The Way of the Cross order of service pdf, click here.

Friday Evening Prayer: Each Friday at 7:00 PM hosted by Patrick and Dina Ishler
Join us on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86327105082
Join Code:  863 2710 5082

Sunday Evening Prayer: Each Sunday at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested can send Br. David Rutledge an email to be put on an email distribution list: [email protected] Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95355083080 Meeting ID: 953 5508 3080

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution.  Pledges/giving can be mailed to the church, and we also have an easy-to-use “Give to St. Edward’s” button on our website that links to our secure Paypal page, as well as a “Donate” button on our YouTube Channel home page.

To assist parishes, the diocese has set up online giving for each parish.  If you feel comfortable making your weekly giving or pledge donation in this manner (it is a secure giving tool), simply go to the diocesan web site, click on the tab up top and it will take you to a page where you can scroll down, find St. Edward’s, and continue with making your contribution!  Thank you for maintaining your faithfulness through your financial stewardship!

Click here if you would like to donate online through the diocesan portal. You will scroll down to find St. Edward’s under Lancaster. The portal is a secure giving site.

Online Worship at St. Edward’s: Fifth Sunday in Lent – March 21, 2021

Dear parishioners and friends of St. Edward’s,

We welcome you to information regarding the return of our in-person worship, online worship essential links, and ministry offerings for this Sunday, the Fifth Sunday in Lent.  All essential links are noted below. 

I prayerfully request that we continue to refrain from gathering, with other parishioners, in public groups, without masks. In Lancaster County, we continue to move towards wider distribution of vaccines, and within our diocese, we are adhering to the same safety protocols we submitted in 2020 for our in-person worship.  We are all in this together, and honoring our parish community, by continuing to comply with the recommendations set forth during this time, conveys our love for God in Christ, the members of our parish family, and the wider community.

Here are three links that may be helpful:


vaccinateLancaster.org
**If you need assistance in registering/navigating this website, please contact me, or the parish office, and we will assist you.

Lancaster County, PA COVID-19 Hub

PA Department of Health

Father Rick+

Happy first day of spring!  Being outside, today, gave us clear evidence of God’s love for all creation.

As we continue our Lenten journey, we are often reminded, that life is filled with hard work and suffering and that God calls us to walk that upward road.  But we also know that, in Him, we have a fellow traveler.  Whatever your journey may be, let us pray, tonight:

For Travelers 
O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve those who travel; surround them with your loving care; protect them from every danger; and bring them in safety to their journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Be well.  Stay safe.  Keep the faith.

Michelle

Sunday Service Information:  Please note that our Rite II service is now at our 10:15 AM time.

Click here to connect to the Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 21st, which will be live streamed at 10:15 AM on Sunday. 

Click here to download our 8:00 AM Rite I service bulletin for the Fifth Sunday in Lent.

Click here to download our 10:15 AM Rite II service bulletin for the Fifth Sunday in Lent.

A few friendly reminders for those returning to in-person worship and for those new to our in-person worship:
– We will have ushers/greeters inside the narthex and they will have the service bulletins for you.  We will also continue to take your name and contact information.

– Please do not forget to wear your mask.

– Ushers will direct you to pew locations to maintain social distancing and will also guide you during communion.

– As we will not pass the offering plate, it will be located on the pedestal at the back of the church for you to place your Sunday offerings.

– On the shelf in the narthex are materials that you may find of interest to take home with you, as well as the sign up sheet for Easter flowers with envelopes for your donation.

*If you enjoy the St. Edward’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster, PA YouTube channel, and you have a Gmail or YouTube account, the next time you tune in, please click the red SUBSCRIBE button on the home page to be included as a subscriber to St. Edward’s!  We would welcome the support and we will not generate any unwanted notifications to you.  Become a part of our St. Edward’s community!   Thank you to those who have subscribed! 


We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you important announcements regarding upcoming events, as well as prayer and adult spiritual formation opportunities.

We continue to honor the guidance delivered by our bishop, as well as our love for God in Christ, to care for one another, by remaining socially distanced, and refrain from in-person fellowship gathering.  There are many opportunities for us to worship, and perform ministry, in community, in ways that are of comfort to us, during this continued Covidtide. Please see a listing below and stay tuned to our weekly emails, web site posts, and Sunday bulletins for updates on specific details. We invite you to celebrate with us, as a community of faith!



Our 6:30 AM Sunrise Service will be weather permitting.  We will also offer in-person worship at 8:00 AM – Rite I and 10:15 AM- Rite II.  The 10:15 AM service will be live streamed.  Our weekly email will detail our Holy Week service offerings.

If you have a submission for the April Scepter, please make sure you get it to Mac Miller by Sunday, March 21st.  [email protected]

Please continue your support of the Hempfield Area Food Pantry. Let us continue our tradition of generosity for those less fortunate than ourselves.  Requested food items for the month of March are:

Large peanut butter
Large jelly
Canned corn
Canned carrots
Canned mixed vegetables
Mac and cheese
2 pound package of dried pinto beans

Soles 4 Souls: St. Edward’s, with Saint John’s of Lancaster will collect shoes through Palm Sunday, March 28th and we invite parishioners to donate used shoes. The shoes can be lightly used to falling apart. Collection boxes will be placed in the sanctuary. Please tie any laced shoes together and rubber band all other shoe types. There is also a need for shipping boxes approximately the size of an office paper box. Any questions can be directed to our outreach ministry members: Lynch’s, Milligan’s, Ishler’s, Peg Reiley, or Leslie Arnold.

St. Edward’s is offering a full complement of Adult Spiritual Formation which continues through Lent! Please check your weekly emails which will have all the study details & Zoom invitation details.

Bible Study: Wednesday Evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM: For questions, please contact Bob Mosebach at [email protected] or Leslie Arnold at [email protected].

Lunch & Learn: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices: Fridays from 12 Noon – 1 PM led by Bob Mosebach

The Way of the Cross: Go to our St. Edward’s YouTube Channel to view our Stations of the Cross, each week, as a Lenten discipline. You will find the pre-recorded offering and a Way of the Cross pdf to download.
The Way of the Cross on the St. Edward’s YouTube Channel, click here.

The Way of the Cross order of service pdf, click here.

Friday Evening Prayer: Each Friday at 7:00 PM hosted by Patrick and Dina Ishler
Join us on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86327105082
Join Code:  863 2710 5082

Sunday Evening Prayer: Each Sunday at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested can send Br. David Rutledge an email to be put on an email distribution list: [email protected] Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95355083080 Meeting ID: 953 5508 3080

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution.  Pledges/giving can be mailed to the church, and we also have an easy-to-use “Give to St. Edward’s” button on our website that links to our secure Paypal page, as well as a “Donate” button on our YouTube Channel home page.

To assist parishes, the diocese has set up online giving for each parish.  If you feel comfortable making your weekly giving or pledge donation in this manner (it is a secure giving tool), simply go to the diocesan web site, click on the tab up top and it will take you to a page where you can scroll down, find St. Edward’s, and continue with making your contribution!  Thank you for maintaining your faithfulness through your financial stewardship!

Click here if you would like to donate online through the diocesan portal. You will scroll down to find St. Edward’s under Lancaster. The portal is a secure giving site.

Online Worship at St. Edward’s: Fourth Sunday in Lent – March 14, 2021

Dear parishioners and friends of St. Edward’s,

We welcome you to our online worship and ministry offerings for this Sunday, the Fourth Sunday in Lent.  All essential links are noted below. 

I prayerfully request that we continue to refrain from gathering, with other parishioners, in public groups, without masks. In Lancaster County, we are moving towards wider distribution of vaccines, and within the diocese plans are being formed, adhering to safety protocols, for parishes to re-open for in-person worship! We are all in this together, and honoring our parish community, by continuing to comply with the recommendations set forth during this time, conveys our love for God in Christ, the members of our parish family, and the wider community.

Here are three links that may be helpful:


vaccinateLancaster.org
**If you need assistance in registering/navigating this website, please contact me, or the parish office, and we will assist you.

Lancaster County, PA COVID-19 Hub

PA Department of Health

Father Rick+

During our Lenten journey, we have been asked to rest, remember, and now, as we approach the Fourth Sunday in Lent, we are asked to repent.  These aspects are all part of the process of lament.  As we lament, we seek forgiveness, and we are called to forgive others.  Repentance can be a journey into darkness, but that does not mean it has to be, or feel, “bad.”  Throughout our lives, we must travel through darkness, to find the light, around us, and in us; the light that God provides. And the act of forgiveness, does not mean that we forget, but that we can start to move forward.

In our spiritual formation groups this week (please consider joining us!), we have touched on the aspect of darkness.  In an email to Father Rick and I, Rayelenn Casey shared a 24-hour Day of Prayer that she was participating in coming from the Leicester Cathedral in the UK with the theme of “Dazzling Darkness” and their motto: “God made the darkness and pronounced it good.”  In our Friday Lunch & Learn, Dina Ishler shared a link to the poem “The Night” by Henry Vaughan, which you can find here.

A daily discipline of mine is to walk 5 miles.  Many times, especially during Lent, I walk in the darkness of evening, taking in the mysteries of the night sky, while listening to a playlist of music that I purposely allow to be selected for me.  Last night, as I was finishing my walkabout, a song popped up in my ears that I had never heard before, but the lyrics that were repeated throughout the entire 7-minute ambient music piece were meditative to me:

Don’t think about all those things you fear
Just be glad to be here (Just be glad to be here)

We close with a prayer from page 831 in The Book of Common Prayer

For a Person in Trouble or Bereavement
O merciful Father, who has taught us in your holy Word that you do not willingly afflict or grieve our children: Look with pity upon the sorrows of all your servants for whom our prayers are offered. Remember them, O Lord, in mercy, nourish their soul with patience, comfort them with a sense of your goodness, lift up your countenance upon them, and give them peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Be well.  Stay safe.  Keep the faith.

Michelle

Please remember to turn your clocks ahead before you go to bed tonight!

Sunday Service Information:

Click here to connect to the Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 14th, which will be live streamed at 10:00 AM on Sunday. 

Click here to download our service bulletin for the Fourth Sunday in Lent.

*If you enjoy the St. Edward’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster, PA YouTube channel, and you have a Gmail or YouTube account, the next time you tune in, please click the red SUBSCRIBE button on the home page to be included as a subscriber to St. Edward’s!  We would welcome the support and we will not generate any unwanted notifications to you.  Become a part of our St. Edward’s community!   Thank you to those who have subscribed! 


We also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you important announcements regarding upcoming events, as well as prayer and adult spiritual formation opportunities.

We continue to honor the guidance delivered by our bishop, as well as our love of God in Christ, to care for one another, by remaining socially distanced, and refrain from in-person worship and gathering.  There are many opportunities for us to worship, and perform ministry, in community, in other ways, during this continued Covidtide. Please see a listing below and stay tuned to our weekly emails, web site posts, and Sunday bulletins for updates on specific details, as we are updated, with times and links. We invite you to celebrate with us, as a community of faith!


Stay tuned for additional service listings for Holy Week and Easter (which you can also find in the March Scepter, but will be updated to align with our re-opening plan!)

Virtual Coffee Hour this Sunday, March 14th, from 11:00 AM – 11:40 AM, on Zoom. Hosted by Christina McLaughlin. Let us share our fellowship with one another during our extended Covidtide. The Zoom join code and pass code are on the back page of the service bulletin. (Please disregard the information about “Annual Meeting” which was left in the bulletin in error.)

Please continue your support of the Hempfield Area Food Pantry. Let us continue our tradition of generosity for those less fortunate than ourselves.  Requested food items for the month of March are:

Large peanut butter
Large jelly
Canned corn
Canned carrots
Canned mixed vegetables
Mac and cheese
2 pound package of dried pinto beans

Soles 4 Souls: St. Edward’s, with Saint John’s of Lancaster will collect shoes through Palm Sunday, March 28th and we invite parishioners to donate used shoes. The shoes can be lightly used to falling apart. Collection boxes will be placed in the sanctuary. Please tie any laced shoes together and rubber and other types. There is also a need for shipping boxes approximately the size of an office paper box. Any questions can be directed to our outreach ministry members: Lynch’s, Milligan’s, Ishler’s, Peg Reiley, or Leslie Arnold.

St. Edward’s is offering a full complement of Adult Spiritual Formation which continues through Lent! Please check your weekly emails which will have all the study details & Zoom invitation details.

Bible Study: Wednesday Evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM: For questions, please contact Bob Mosebach at [email protected] or Leslie Arnold at [email protected].

Lunch & Learn: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices: Fridays from 12 Noon – 1 PM led by Bob Mosebach

The Way of the Cross: Go to our St. Edward’s YouTube Channel to view our Stations of the Cross, each week, as a Lenten discipline. You will find the pre-recorded offering and a Way of the Cross pdf to download.
The Way of the Cross on the St. Edward’s YouTube Channel, click here.

The Way of the Cross order of service pdf, click here.

Friday Evening Prayer: Each Friday at 7:00 PM hosted by Patrick and Dina Ishler
Join us on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86327105082
Join Code:  863 2710 5082

Sunday Evening Prayer: Each Sunday at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested can send Br. David Rutledge an email to be put on an email distribution list: [email protected] Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95355083080 Meeting ID: 953 5508 3080

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution.  Pledges/giving can be mailed to the church, and we also have an easy-to-use “Give to St. Edward’s” button on our website that links to our secure Paypal page, as well as a “Donate” button on our YouTube Channel home page.

To assist parishes, the diocese has set up online giving for each parish.  If you feel comfortable making your weekly giving or pledge donation in this manner (it is a secure giving tool), simply go to the diocesan web site, click on the tab up top and it will take you to a page where you can scroll down, find St. Edward’s, and continue with making your contribution!  Thank you for maintaining your faithfulness through your financial stewardship!

Click here if you would like to donate online through the diocesan portal. You will scroll down to find St. Edward’s under Lancaster. The portal is a secure giving site.

St. Edward’s Thursday Message – March 11th

Dear parishioners & friends of St. Edward’s,

What a gorgeous day it was today!  We hope that wherever you were, you were able to take the time to step outside, soak in the sun’s rays, breathe in the fresh air, and marvel at how the wildlife that has been silent for months, sang their songs and bustled about, preparing for a new season.  The wonder of God’s creation.

As we marvel at our natural world, and meditate and pray on this day, I reflect on words that were in one of my Lenten daily prayer disciplines from A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie:

“Do not let me rest content with an ideal of humanity that is less than what was shown to us in Jesus.  Give me the mind of Christ.  May I listen to Jesus’ question: What are you doing more than others? And so may the three Christian graces of faith, hope, and love be more and more formed within me, until all I do and say brings honor to Jesus and his gospel.”

Words to live by.

As we mentioned in Monday’s email message: peace is “the tranquility of order” and we asked for people to share their reflections.  I would like to pass along a lovely reflection Rayelenn shared with us from one verse from the hymn “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind”:

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

More words to live by.

As our Thursday emails are dedicated to the spiritual offerings we offer between Friday noon – Sunday evening, outside of our Sunday 10 AM Rite II service, please know that we have listed details to several opportunities for prayer and reflection, below.

We do have three important items to share:


vaccinatelancaster.org website is up and running for anyone who is still searching for a vaccine.  The website allows you to answer important health information questions and provide your contact information so that you are in the system to be informed when you can schedule your vaccination appointment.   If you need help in this process, please contact the parish office and we will be happy to assist.


Believe it or not, this Sunday is Daylight Savings time.  So. . . please remember to turn your clocks forward one hour!

 

We will be offering an Easter Sunday sunrise service.  Stay tuned for more details regarding Easter Sunday!

Be well.  Stay safe.  Keep the faith.

Michelle

Worship News:
If you are in need of delivery of wafers, Scepters, etc. please contact the parish office.  

The Way of the Cross Lenten Weekly Devotion
We extend a warm invitation to our parishioners, and to those in the wider community, to participate in this weekly devotion on Fridays during the season of Lent. We thank Edward Webber for his wonderful artwork, capturing each of the fourteen Stations of the Cross. It is our sincere hope that this will serve as an invitation to prayer and contemplation as we continue to worship from our homes.

The Way of the Cross pdf and YouTube link information are noted below.
The Way of the Cross on the St. Edward’s YouTube Channel, click here.

The Way of the Cross order of service pdf, click here.

Lenten Meditations 2021 booklets:  Episcopal Relief & Development offers a wonderful booklet of meditations to take you through your Lenten journey.  This year, ER&D is offering this booklet in an online version.  You can click here to download the pdf.  We will also do on-demand printing of the booklet pdf for those who would like a printed copy to take home.  Just let us know if you would like a printed copy!

WORSHIP & SPIRITUAL FORMATION VIA ZOOM
New and Updated: Adult Spiritual Formation – Winter 2021 Flier – Click here to view/download

Friday Evening Prayer – March 12th
We invite you to Evening Prayer this Friday evening at 7:00 PM.  This is a wonderful way to peacefully end our week and is led by Patrick Ishler.
Join us on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86327105082
Join Code:  863 2710 5082

Friday Lunch & Learn:  March 12th 12 Noon – 1 PM via Zoom
We continue our course of reflection and discussion with Chapter 11 – Walking in the Way of the Cross – Holy Week and Easter in our text, Walk in LovePerhaps you would feel comfortable in delivering the closing prayer? There are so many wonderful Prayers and Collects to share with the group, from our BCP. Attendance at every session is not required.

With peace,
Father Rick, Bob Mosebach, and Wanda Stoltzfus

Join Zoom Meeting

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Meeting ID: 844 7970 9447

Passcode: 228332

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Sunday Evening Prayer, March 14th at 7:00 PM:  We use the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and the readings for the Sunday Lectionary.  It is a quiet service and a good way to end the weekend and prepare for the week to come.  Anyone interested can send me an email to be put on an email distribution list:  [email protected]

Sunday Evening Prayer @ 7:00pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/95355083080
Meeting ID: 953 5508 3080