Tag: St. Edward’s

St. Edward’s Monday Message – August 10, 2020

administrator

Dear friends and parishioners,

To start your week, we share with you a lovely image from Friday, once the storm had cleared from St. Edward’s, with this poem about nature and life from Emily Dickinson.

The rainbow never tells me
That gust and storm are by,
Yet is she more convincing
Than Philosophy.

My flowers turn from Forums—
Yet eloquent declare
What Cato couldn’t prove me
Except the birds were here!
– Emily Dickinson

Missed the Sunday service?  You can watch it here!

Be well. Stay safe. Keep the faith.

– Michelle

—
MINISTRY HAPPENINGS AT ST. EDWARD’S

VARIETY SHOW/TAKE-OUT DINNER/BASKET AUCTION:  Stay tuned in the next week as we will be sending out information on our variety show/call for talent as well as tease some details about our October 24th Fundraising Event.  It is going to be FUN!

COOKBOOK MINISTRY
We’ve received some wonderful recipes, creative writing, and photos.  We hope others will consider contributing their talents to this project.  If you have a creative spirit or reflections, but no recipe, we welcome your contribution.  If you have recipes, only, that is wonderful, too!

GREETING CARD MINISTRY
If you have not had a chance to stop buy and “shop” for greeting cards, we invite you to our greeting card ministry.  Thomas Ishler was able to secure quite a bounty of greeting cards from a pharmacy that was closing its doors in Lancaster County. We have set them up in the Christian Ed wing in safe and healthy spaces for people to browse the cards, make their selections, and consider a free-will offering.  Bring your own “green” shopping bag to fill up.  In our season of Covidtide, card writing is a great way to reach out to those who you miss so dearly. We also encourage people to reach out to others they know and perhaps put together packets of cards to give away.  We hope to see you soon!  Please come in any day, Monday – Friday between 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM.

MINISTRY, WORSHIP & FELLOWSHIP THIS WEEK
Finance Committee Meeting – Tuesday, August 11th at 6:30 PM via Zoom

Wednesday Noonday Service of Healing – Wednesday, August 12th
Please enter through the parish hall doors. Masks are required. We have put in place healthy practices for your comfort and safety. May we ask that you please let the parish office know if you are planning on attending (if you have not already done so).

Bible Study – Wednesday, August 12th
Led by Bill and Yvonne Gasperetti.  For more information about upcoming Bible Study sessions, please contact Bill at [email protected] or Yvonne at [email protected].  This is the 2nd to last Bible Study meeting for Session 2.  Session 3 begins on September 9th and will be a weekly meeting.  If you are interested in joining the group for Session 3, please contact Bill or Yvonne.

Friday Evening Prayer – August 14th
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

School Supplies Drive 2020 for Landisville Primary Center

Due to the overwhelming generosity and kindness of our parishoners, we have enough supplies to completely cover the needs of 30 school children at the Landisville Primary Center. We were also able to purchase a $100 gift card to give to the school to cover some of the additional needs of the students.

We received $505.00 in monetary donations. Finn was my super helper at Target. He did the calculations and counted out all of the 40+ expo marker packages that we bought today. Many thanks also to Dina for helping to count and record all of our donated supplies and to Beth for finding additional hand sanitizer and tissues. I am simply overwhelmed by how everyone pitched in to help our neighboring school children in this time of need.

Peace, Ellen

Thanks be to God!!!  Ellen, your leadership on this has been absolutely stellar, and it feels like such a grace to walk in Christ with such a loving and responsive group of folks.  Go St. Ed’s!
Rick+

St. Edward’s Monday Message – July 27, 2020

administrator

Dear friends and parishioners,

Our summer heat wave continues, but we hear that perhaps by week’s end we will get a reprieve!  And we hope all of you will stay safe, hydrated, and cool during these days of extreme weather.  If you missed the Sunday online service, you can watch it here:

It was a wonderfully fulfilling day of Rite I worship; a baptism of Lucy Louise Tilley in between services in our Chapel; a wonderful Rite II service at 10:15; a Zoom meeting of our Shaped by Faith team with other parishes; and finally the Sunday Zoom meeting of our discernment committee with Dina Ishler.  Such celebration, grace, and ministry all the day through! For that, we are so grateful.

We offer to you a wonderful meditation today from Forward Day by Day to start your week:

MONDAY, July 27                           William R. Huntington

Romans 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

This last section of Romans reads like the toast at a wedding being attended by a bunch of people who don’t know each other very well. Uncle Paul starts knitting up the story of this family, reminding them of who belongs to which parents, who married into the family, who brought the nice dinner rolls, etc. By the end of the toast, no one seems like a stranger. Everyone dances to “We are Family” and takes home two pieces of cake.

Paul’s salutation to his family of faith is so dear and kind, so earnest in the way he wants everyone to know and love everyone else—women, men, children, old people. This family Paul loves is big and broad and beautiful. He reminds us that even when we don’t all know each other as well as we would like, we can come to the table and celebrate the One who knows each of us and makes us one—with love.

MOVING FORWARD: Write a note or email to a relative you’ve been missing.

PRAY for the Dioceses of Maseno South (Kenya), Uyo (Nigeria), and Hong Kong Island

Today the Church remembers William Reed Huntington, Priest, 1909.

Ps 56, 57, [58] * 64, 65 | Joshua 24:16-33 | Romans 16:1-16 | Matthew 27:24-31

Be well. Stay safe. Keep the faith.

– Michelle

MINISTRY HAPPENINGS AT ST. EDWARD’S

PLANT-A-TREE MEMORIAL GARDEN PROJECT
As Father Rick mentioned during services yesterday, we have put into motion significant aspects of Phase One, thanks to the generous support from all of you!  And we continue to raise funds so that our obelisk, walkway, and other essential elements can be achieved.  We hope you will prayerfully consider donating to this phase of this most important and sacred space.  Please know that many of these important elements of Phase One would benefit from your gift.

BASKET AUCTION:  As we have come to know, the St. Edwardians are of a generous and giving spirit.  Not only have we achieved our goal of 20 baskets, but we are 1-2 to the plus side, and we are so grateful.  There are some fantastic ideas this year, and certainly something for everyone.  Our auction will be a bit different this year, but please know it will be fun, funny, and interesting!  And, so that everyone can participate “where they are” we will be creating a catalog for people to browse, in advance, as well as a YouTube video describing the baskets.  All baskets are due by September 13th, giving us a week to prepare them.  Stay tuned in early September for auction details!

SCHOOL SUPPLIES for the Landisville Primary Center:  We will be collecting for the next 2 weekends.  If it is easier to order online through Target and Amazon and have your supplies delivered to St. Edward’s we will accept them here for you.  You can also donate funds and we will shop for you.  Thank you!  A box set up in the narthex. The list is as follows:
Pencils                       Colored pencils                         Crayons
Erasers                      Notebook paper                        Colored paper
Glue sticks                 Tissues                                      Hand Sanitizer
Dry Erase Markers, fine pt., black            Dry Erase Markers, fine pt., red
Folders without clasps
Let’s help our neighborhood children be ready to learn!

COOKBOOK MINISTRY
The recipes are starting to roll in! Don’t forget to submit any creative writing, drawing, music, photography, and creative musings you would like to share!

GREETING CARD MINISTRY
We have launched a greeting card ministry.  With great good fortune and some very heavy lifting, Thomas Ishler was able to secure quite a bounty of greeting cards from a pharmacy that was closing its doors in Lancaster County. Come in to St. Edward’s, safely “shop” for greeting cards, and donate a free-will offering for their selection.  We have set them up in the Christian Ed wing in safe and healthy spaces for people to browse the cards and make their selections.  Bring your own “green” shopping bag to fill up.  In our season of Covidtide, card writing is a great way to reach out to those who you miss so dearly (as noted in our meditation for today!) We also encourage people to reach out to others they know and perhaps put together packets of cards to give away.  We hope to see you soon!  Please come in any day, Monday – Friday between 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM.  We have in place healthy practices for your comfort and safety.

MINISTRY, WORSHIP & FELLOWSHIP THIS WEEK
Bible Study – Wednesday, July 29th
Led by Bill and Yvonne Gasperetti.  For more information about upcoming Bible Study sessions, please contact Bill at [email protected] or Yvonne at [email protected].

Wednesday Noonday Service of Healing – July 29th
Please enter through the parish hall doors. Masks are required. We have put in place healthy practices for your comfort and safety. May we ask that you please let the parish office know if you are planning on attending (if you have not already done so).

Friday Evening Prayer
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

The baptism of Lucy Louise Tilley took place at St. Edward’s on Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 9:30 AM in our chapel.  A wonderful celebration for her parents, Ryan and Megan Tilley, and their family members.

Sunday Service Online – Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 12 – July 26, 2020

administrator

Dear friends of St. Edward’s,

On behalf of Father Rick and all of us at St. Edward’s. . . We welcome you!

We are holding in-person worship this weekend at 8 AM – Rite I and 10:15 AM – Rite II. We hope that you will join us!  We have put in place healthy practices for your comfort and safety and we are mindfully complying with mitigation efforts through the governor’s office, as well as our diocesan office.

Please know that we extend our warm invitation of worship to those in the wider community and those parishioners who are still at home, via YouTube Live, with our live streaming service each Sunday. We are one community of faith and we are worshipping together!

Click here to connect to our YouTube Channel to enjoy our Sunday service of Holy Eucharist Rite II LIVE at 10:15 AM on Sunday, July 26th.

Click here to download the Sunday Service 10:15 AM bulletin – Rite II.

If you prefer the said service of Rite I, we have provided our service bulletin for you to download and enjoy the service.

Click here to download the Sunday Service 8 AM bulletin – Rite I.

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s during this time. 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.

We have also been blessed to discover that 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.

If you are interested in learning more about our parish and our current ministry/fundraising offerings, please click here to view our July/August Scepter.  We have many opportunities to be in community in many ways, even in these times of Covidtide.  We are continually building strong bridges within our parish community and in the wider community and there is a place for you, here, at St. Edward’s.

We believe that God loves you – no exceptions.

Be well. Stay safe. Keep the faith.

– Michelle

St. Edward’s Thursday Message – July 16, 2020

administrator

Dear friends,

Look for the Saturday afternoon message which will have links to all things for Sunday worship.

We are so grateful for the response in these first two weeks of the Memorial Garden fundraiser. As of the writing of this email, through the generosity of all of you, we have raised $6,200.  The response is so gratifying and tells us how very important it is to beautify and steward this sacred space.

On the Basket Auction front, we have secured 13 baskets (we are seeking 20 baskets).  We hope others will prayerfully consider donating a basket, or if you would like to contact the office and contribute a basket but need us to do the “shopping,” please let us know!  We are working on a fun and inventive way to hold our auction this year, so stay tuned!!

We hope people are gathering up their favorite recipes to share, as well as tapping into their creative spirit to help us compile a wonderful cookbook that shows our fellow parishioners and wider community how special we are and could be used to promote our parish community and raise funds for social outreach.

We are also participating in a school supply drive for the Landisville Primary Center for the 2020/2021 school year.  Supplies needed are:

Pencils
Colored pencils
Crayons
Erasers
Notebook paper
Colored paper
Glue sticks
Tissues
Hand Sanitizer
Dry Erase Markers, fine pt., black
Dry Erase Markers, fine pt., red
Folders without clasps

Let’s help our neighborhood children be ready to learn!  There will be a drop off box in the narthex on Sundays and in the front entry just inside the red doors during the week for supply drop off.  We thank you for your generosity in helping St. Edward’s reach out to the wider community.

As a friendly reminder, we are mindfully complying with the mitigation efforts established through the Governor’s office, as well as our Diocesan office.

Continue reading below to get the details for our Friday and Saturday worship and fellowship activities.

Be well. Stay safe. Keep the faith.

Michelle

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

—

Join us for our Virtual Saturday Social from 9 AM – 9:40 AM Saturday morning on Zoom.  It will be hosted by Christina and Joe McLaughlin. So join us!  Ask questions, give us your feedback and enjoy some fellowship THIS SATURDAY, July 18th at 9:00 AM. The Zoom Join code and Passcode are in the Thursday email.

We leave you, this Thursday with a quote from Maya Angelou:

“When you wish someone joy, you wish them peace, love, prosperity, happiness… all the good things.”
― Maya Angelou

St. Edward’s Monday Message – July 13, 2020

administrator

Dear friends and parishioners,

We open this week with amazing grace notes of generosity.

So much is happening at St. Edward’s and our ministry is so strong, we should really be calling today’s email message, “Ministry Monday”!!

First, our Sunday Online Service recap:  If you missed our streaming service yesterday, no worries!  You can watch it by clicking the link below and you can also download the service bulletin to follow along.

Click here to connect to our YouTube Channel to enjoy our July 12th Sunday service of Holy Eucharist Rite II.

Click here to download the Sunday Service 10:15 AM bulletin – Rite II.

—
MINISTRY HAPPENINGS AT ST. EDWARD’S

GREETING CARD MINISTRY
A ministry we are launching today is a greeting card ministry.  With great good fortune and some very heavy lifting, Thomas Ishler was able to secure quite a bounty of greeting cards from a pharmacy that was closing its doors in Lancaster County.  Thousands of cards were to be tossed away and Thomas had a wonderful idea to bring them to St. Edward’s so that we could open the opportunity for people to come in, safely “shop” for greeting cards, and donate a free-will offering for their selection.  We have set them up in the Christian Ed wing in safe and healthy spaces for people to, take a drive, get out of the house, browse the cards and make their selections.  Bring your own “green” shopping bag to fill up.  In our season of Covidtide, card writing is a great way to reach out to those who you miss so dearly.  So, stop by and stock up!  Zoom, Facetime, text, and email are great, but everyone loves to get a card in the mail from people in their life.  We also encourage people to reach out to others they know and perhaps put together packets of cards to give away.  Maybe the residents of retirement communities or nursing homes would love a supply of cards to send.  What a great way to reach out to our wider community in ministry and love!  If you feel comfortable, give an organization a call and see if you can put together a bag of cards to drop off for their residents!  Everyone has an extra shopping bag to bring in and fill up.  We hope to see you soon!  Please come in any day, Monday – Friday between 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM.  We have in place healthy practices for your comfort and safety.

PLANT-A-TREE MEMORIAL GARDEN PROJECT
As part of Phase One of our Memorial Garden beautification, we have launched a plant-a-tree campaign to create the green wall between our sacred space and our neighbor.  In just 1 week, we have received commitments for 13 trees!!  We are in need of 7 more commitments.  We hope you will prayerfully consider donating to this phase of this most important and sacred space.  Please know that there are other very important elements of Phase One that would benefit from your gift, should we meet our tree quota.

BASKET AUCTION
And as if the generosity towards our Memorial Garden project was not enough, we have commitments for 9 baskets so far, ranging from wine baskets, a Mexican food-themed basket, tea time basket, gift card baskets, perhaps a “thanksgiving feast” basket. . but there are so many more ideas. . all we need is you!  Contact the parish office if you will commit to creating a basket.  As always, we can arrange the basket, & we wrap, bow, and tag each basket for you!

SCHOOL SUPPLIES for the Landisville Primary Center 
Collections start JULY 19 and we will set up a bin outside our covered front entry, as well as a staging area inside our front red doors, during the week & Sundays for people to make their drop-off. The list is as follows:
Pencils                       Colored pencils                         Crayons
Erasers                      Notebook paper                        Colored paper
Glue sticks                 Tissues                                      Hand Sanitizer
Dry Erase Markers, fine pt., black            Dry Erase Markers, fine pt., red
Folders without clasps
Let’s help our neighborhood children be ready to learn!

COOKBOOK MINISTRY
We hope people are gathering their favorite recipes and any creative writing, drawing, music they would like to share for our cookbook!

MINISTRY, WORSHIP & FELLOWSHIP THIS WEEK
On Tuesday, the Cultural Events ministry will be holding a Zoom meeting at 7:00 PM to discuss possible future events during this time of COVID19.  this meeting is led by Patrick Ishler.

Wednesday Noonday Service of Healing – July 15th
Please enter through the parish hall doors. Masks are required. We have put in place healthy practices for your comfort and safety. May we ask that you please let the parish office know if you are planning on attending (if you have not already done so).

Wednesday also brings to us Bible Study, at 6:30 PM, via Zoom, faithfully led by Bill & Yvonne Gasperetti.  While they are in the middle of the current session, if you are interested in learning more about Bible Study, please contact Bill at [email protected] or Yvonne at [email protected].

Friday Evening Prayer
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

—
A closing prayer from The Book of Uncommon Prayer – Meditations & Devotions

Better Way
If I am right, thy grace impart
Still in the right to stay;
If I am wrong, O teach my heart
To find that better way!
– Alexander Pope

Be well. Stay safe. Keep the faith.

– Michelle

A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Scanlan

administrator

Dear members of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania,

As we enter the fifth month of the COVID-19 pandemic in our region, I write to you with words of gratitude and encouragement; gratitude for your faithfulness in this time, and encouragement to persevere- to “run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12: 1-2). I am so proud of how we have been finding ways to continue worshipping and serving as the Body of Christ understanding that the sacrifices that we make at this time are for the good of the whole, and that even the simplest of measures like wearing a mask in public are ways to express our Christian faith as we “love our neighbors as ourselves.” (Mark 12: 31, Matthew 22:40, Luke 10:27). From what I have been reading in the newspapers and receiving in briefings from our Diocesan Disaster and Emergency Coordination Ed Robertson, we have a long road before us. About ¾ of our churches have resumed worshiping in their buildings using the guidelines of the Operations Task Force. This is a critical time in which we cannot let our guard down. We cannot become lax about protective measures, and we need to respect the insidious nature of this disease by staying vigilant. Please wear your masks in church unless you are speaking in the role of lector, intercessor or officiant. Please refrain from greeting your fellow congregants with a hug. Please understand that while we may be able to gather in a churchyard for a time of fellowship, that social distancing is still required. If you are a church leader who needs support in maintaining these protocols, please call my office and we will help you. Safety must come first.

Most of our congregations have been able to provide on-line worship for their parishioners in these recent months. Others that do not have the capacity or bandwidth for producing videos or whose congregants do not have easy access to the internet have been diligent about making phone calls and developing prayer chains and card ministries. Stewardship among those who pledge has remained high, and I know that all of our leaders are grateful for this continued support of the work of the church. Many of our churches have suffered lost income from those who do not pledge but give faithfully “in the plate” and cannot do so now, and all of our churches are have been forced to re-think fund raisers that in the past have depended on community participation and patronage. Please do continue, as you are able, to support your parish; your faithful stewardship is greatly appreciated. If you prefer to donate on-line, the diocese does offer a secure on-line giving platform that allows you to choose the parish recipient. For more information, visit https://diocesecpa.org/stewardship/

Our clergy are working hard. I have been impressed with the ways that they have adapted to online platforms, are experimenting with new venues of social media, recording and “broadcasting.” It has been exciting to watch. Our parishes are hosting on-line bible studies, coffee hours, men’s and women’s groups, teen chats, book groups, talent shows, discernment groups, and worship around the clock- Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer and Compline. Clergy continue to offer pastoral care over the phone and zoom and, for care in extremis, home visits. While restricted to small congregations, the pastoral work of funerals, burials, baptisms and weddings have continued. Now that many of us are returning to worship in the buildings, clergy are both re-engaging in their worship spaces and offering online services as well. For some, this means producing two different events on a Sunday. As a way to offer some respite care, the diocesan staff will be creating pre-recorded worship services for the second and fourth Sunday of each month in July, August and September. These will be posted on the diocesan website by Friday night of the weekend for which they are scheduled. I hope that they will received in the spirit in which they are intended- to serve as an option for clergy who, otherwise, would need to produce a second service. The Rev. Canon Chris Streeter is taking the lead on this project and we hope to continue offering online services in the fall as an effort of our convocations working through the Shaped by Faith project.  I hope that you will encourage your clergy to take time this summer for rest and refreshment. While physical vacation plans may need to change, the need for sabbath continues.

I have been meeting with our clergy on Tuesday mornings for the past several months and will continue to do so through the end of July. I have been releasing short videos for our diocese on Friday mornings and will also continue those through the end of July. I will also continue my monthly blog on the first Friday of each month. The videos and the blog are always able to be accessed through the diocesan website: www.diocesecpa.org.  When I return from my time away in August, I will reassess the communications strategy from my office in the time of this pandemic.

Finally, beloved, keep on saying your prayers. The best way that I know to move through this time is to do so with God at our side, and to continue sharing with our Holy Source, Companion and Comforter, the joys and anxieties of this time. Here are two prayers that I have used regularly that still my soul.

Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy. Sustain and support the anxious, be with those who care for the sick, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may find comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Gloucester Cathedral, England

This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand gravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer pg.461

 

In the Way of Love,

The Rt. Rev. Audrey C. Scanlan

XI Bishop

 

 

Friday Message from St. Edward’s for June 26, 2020 Including our Sunday Online Service Information

administrator

Dear friends,

Let us start by inviting you to Evening Prayer this 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

Join us for our Virtual Saturday Social from 9 AM – 9:40 AM tomorrow on Zoom.  It will be hosted by Michelle Bentley.  The parish office will be introducing some great new ministries and fellowship activities that the parish has started to plan for the summer into the fall. So join us!  Ask questions, give us your feedback and enjoy some fellowship THIS SATURDAY at 9:00 AM.  The link and details will be in Friday’s email.

And now, on to Sunday news!

We welcome you to St. Edward’s!  As we continue to work with the phased re-opening of Lancaster County, for this Sunday, we are able to accommodate more people at our worship services at 8 AM for Rite I and 10:15 AM for Rite II.  Whatever your choice may be, or if you would like to worship with us via our YouTube Livestream service at 10:15 AM, which is our service inclusive of wonderful music, we are ready to welcome you!

As you feel comfortable, please consider joining us on future Sundays in-person.  We do not need to take “reservations” but should you have any questions as to our protocols or capacity, please do not hesitate to contact the parish office.  We want you to feel safe, relaxed and make certain we maintain all safe social distancing protocols.

Here is all you need for this Sunday’s worship:

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost:  Proper 8 – June 28th

Click here to connect to our YouTube Channel to enjoy our Sunday service of Holy Eucharist Rite II LIVE at 10:15 AM on Sunday, June 28th.

Click here to download the Sunday Service bulletin for 10:15 service.

If you prefer the more meditative said service of Rite I, we have provided our service bulletin for you to download and enjoy the service.

If you would like to read our said service for Rite I, please click here to download that bulletin.

Besides prayers, calls, cards and emails, there is one more thing you can do to support St. Edward’s during this time. Please keep up-to-date with your pledge or regular contribution. Even though we must keep our doors closed for a period of time, we also must continue to pay our fixed expenses such as electricity, insurance, and salaries. We will continue to pick up our mail, so you can easily mail your contributions to the office and we will see that they are properly credited.  We have also been blessed to discover that 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.

Leslie Arnold has created a wonderful program of Christian Formation lessons for our youth, which can be found on our Christian Education page on our web site (link below).  For youth, and the youthful at heart, take a look.  They are quite wonderful and actually may be exactly what some of us “older youth” may actually like to engage in as well!

Sunday School Program

What would a week at St. Edward’s be without another project, right?!?!?

So, not only did Father Rick and I do some outside work in the Memorial Garden (well, we’ll give that one to Father Rick. . .I just brought the water bottles!) but we also reorganized the Parish Hall and created a new contemplative chapel area for our Wednesday Noonday service, which will commence on Wednesday July 8th at 12 Noon. In doing so, we unearthed some wonderful St. Edward’s artifacts, like our church crest and we also cleared up much of the tables and chairs that had been cluttering the wall space. (Click on the gallery images to enlarge).

We wish you a peaceful evening and hope that we see you in-person, virtually, or that you are with us in spirit as we journey through this weekend.

Be well. Stay safe. Keep the faith.

Michelle

Monday Message from St. Edward’s – June 22, 2020

administrator

Dear friends,

What a wonderful day it was yesterday at St. Edward’s!  The church was ALIVE with 8 AM Rite I parishioners and 10:15 AM Rite II parishioners.  And, it was a beautiful re-opening of our parish home.

So special to welcome Father Rick for his first in-person worship at St. Edward’s as our new rector. It was such an incredible day to finally be able to be in community, with him, and experience him celebrating and preaching, in-person.

So nice to hear the organ and piano masterfully played by Karen Waddill along with Patrick Ishler as our wonderful soloist.  All very special.

Our ushers/health safety volunteers did a fantastic job with all of our protocols and their wonderful hospitality to all who came to worship with us, while maintaining social distancing.  We are so lucky to have our bright and spacious sanctuary to be able to re-open safely with such love and welcoming, It was a lovely day!

The 10:15 AM Rite II YouTube Livestream was wonderfully received by those who we reach out to at home and in the wider community and we look forward to making our technology adjustments as we all lean in to this expanded and new way we will be worshipping together.  We thank you for your support, patience, and stewardship and we so look forward to continuing our re-opening and adding new things, as we can, while adhering to all of the health and safety protocols for you.

Share our Facebook posts and YouTube videos with your family and friends!

In case you missed the service yesterday, you can find it here:

Click here to connect to our YouTube Channel to enjoy our Sunday service of Holy Eucharist Rite II LIVE at 10:15 AM from Sunday, June 21st.

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As is our tradition, our “Scepter Summer Issue” is a July /August combination.  So, if you have items, pictures, articles you would like Mac to publish for the next two months, please get them to her no later than this Wednesday, June 24th.  You can send them to:

[email protected]

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We received a notice from Community Aid today reminding us that while they are working to manage the bins, they understand that there is a large overflow of donations that are being placed in the bins, many times falling out or being placed on the ground.  Unfortunately, when items are left on the ground they must be tossed away and it takes a substantial amount of time and funds away from their mission to pick up and pay for the disposal of the overflow items, as they are then considered “trash.” They are doing their best, but prayerfully request that we be good stewards of our donations and if the bin is full to either wait until the pick up has been taken care of (they usually come once every 10 days) or to take your donations to the store on Good Drive and Columbia Avenue where you can ensure your gifts will not be wasted. We thank you for your understanding.

We leave you with a Prayer for the Parish, from The Book of Common Prayer – page 817

Almighty and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, hear our prayers for this parish family.  Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent.  Grant us all things necessary for our common life, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

As always for this week, and every week:  Be well. Stay Safe. Keep the Faith.

Michelle