Tag: lancaster

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+

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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!)
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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.)

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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

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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.

Dear parishioners & friends of St. Edward’s,

As we continue on our Lenten journey, and are at a midpoint, we may find that our travels have opened the eyes of our souls, allowing us to know ourselves in ways that can restore our flow and energy so that we can be guided to new directions.

In an email communication with my 89-year old uncle last week, I “signed off” in a way that I close most of my emails and notes – “With peace.”  His reaction was that he was “pleased and amused” by my words and informed me that in his spiritual life and study, he found Saint Thomas Aquinas teaching, peace is “the tranquility of order,” very meaningful to him in ordering the priorities in his life.  I was moved by his words, as we so often pray for peace and wish people peace.

What I discovered was that “orderliness” does not necessarily have to be complete and perfected to find peace. It can be a rhythm you bring to your life – finding quiet places for prayer and meditation; taking a walk in nature; helping others; calling a friend; listening to music; or exploring an artistic talent or a favorite hobby that can help you to order your thoughts, aspirations, and in figuring out what is important (and what can be discarded), helping one to be “with peace” even while living in an imperfect world that can be chaotic and disordered.   And, we remember that peace begins in our relationship with God.

As Father Rick+ closed his sermon, yesterday, he reminded us: “We are all living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, and accepting hardships as the pathways to peace. We are each houses of the Holy, and together, we are the Church.”

We offer you these few passages of Scripture.  Maybe you have a favorite passage you can share with us, and with those you love, that offers a reflection of peace. 

If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:18)

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

Be well.  Stay safe.  Keep the faith.

Michelle
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Worship News:

In case you missed it, click to view the Sunday Service for the Third Sunday in Lent, March 7th 

We hope you will include, in your weekly Lenten discipline, our Stations of the Cross offering for Lent, via our St. Edward’s YouTube channel – a collaboration of St. Edward’s and St. Luke’s, Mount Joy.  Within the message, we will also offer a pdf of The Way of the Cross.   Click here to connect.

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!

Looking for an additional Lenten Devotional Resource?  St. Luke’s Mount Joy offers us  “Living Well Through Lent” by clicking here.

Click here to access our Worship page on our sainteds.org web site.
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Parish Business News:
Please stop by the church this week to pick up grocery cards, Annual Reports, the March edition of the Scepter, consecrated wafers, your signature St. Edward’s mug, and your giving statement for 2020.  Many people take the opportunity while visiting to drop off their pledge and giving. We would love to see you!  Items are available Monday – Friday 11 AM – 3:30 PM.

If you prefer to look at items online, here are links to interesting documents and pages on our web site:

St. Edward’s Annual Report 2020

March Scepter

Learn about your Spiritual Gifts Inventory

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Ministry and Faith in Action Opportunities:

Soles for Souls:  St. Edward’s is participating in a shoe drive with Saint John’s of Lancaster during the Lenten season. Shoes will be collected through Palm Sunday, March 28th.  The shoes can be lightly used to falling apart.   Soles 4 Souls will send the shoes to impoverished countries to give the people an opportunity to provide relief, create jobs, and empower people to break the cycle of poverty.  Collection boxes will be placed in the sanctuary (near the Praise Band instruments). 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. Should you have any questions, please contact:  Lynch’s, Milligan’s, Ishler’s, Peg Reiley, or Leslie Arnold.
—

In this season of almsgiving, let us continue our faithful support of the Hempfield Area Food Pantry for those less fortunate than ourselves, through monetary and food donations. 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
—
As we pray and ponder during this season of Lent, we invite you to consider participating in a free course (upcoming in the near future) that will be offered by The Stevenson School for Ministry.  Using the framework of the Episcopal Church’s “Becoming a Beloved Community” this course on antiracism will lead participants through four pillars rooted in the Baptismal Covenant: Telling the Truth about the Church and Race; Proclaiming the Dream of Beloved Community; Practicing the Way of Love; Repairing the Breach in our Churches; and Repairing the Breach in Society and Institutions. The Beloved Community is defined as one that seeks and promotes justice for the least among us.  We will keep you informed on when the course date will be.  You can also visit the diocesan website and connect with the Stevenson School of Ministry tab to learn more about their wide array of course offerings.
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MINISTRY, WORSHIP & FELLOWSHIP CALENDAR VIA ZOOM
New and Updated: Adult Spiritual Formation – Winter 2021 Flier – Click here to view/download
Click here to access our Adult Spiritual Formation page on our web site.

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Wednesday Evening Bible Study – Wednesday, March 10th – 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM: The focus for this session, led by Bob Mosebach and Leslie Arnold, will be on the Gospel of Mark from an Anglican/Episcopal perspective. Our Study Guide will be: Borg, Marcus (2019), Conversations with Scripture – The Gospel of Mark (Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars Study). For questions, please contact Bob Mosebach at [email protected] or Leslie Arnold at [email protected] with any questions.

ZOOM INVITE DETAILS:
Topic: St. Edward’s Episcopal Church Bible Study
Time: March 10, 2021 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86252772937?pwd=RWVWNGVuQWh3NU9keWRXMWxFczg5UT09
Meeting ID: 862 5277 2937
Passcode: 201150

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Dial by your location
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+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 862 5277 2937
Passcode: 201150
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdkn9E94ds
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Friday Lunch & Learn:  March 12th 12 Noon – 1 PM via Zoom
We will jump to Chapter 11 in our text, Walk in Love, Walking in the Way of the Cross – Holy Week and Easter.  Join us!  

Perhaps 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

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84479709447?pwd=OWlobm83TDgwNlVoK3hFbjBlWnZSdz09

Meeting ID: 844 7970 9447

Passcode: 228332

One tap mobile

+13462487799,,84479709447#,,,,,,0#,,228332# US (Houston)

+16699006833,,84479709447#,,,,,,0#,,228332# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Meeting ID: 844 7970 9447

Passcode: 228332

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbq2eaazXj

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