Sunday, February 22, 2015 (full size gallery)
A snowstorm of 4+ inches eliminated most of the events of the past week. Both Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday were eliminated as well as the remainder of the Wednesday activities – Bible Study, ECW and the Food distribtution. Catherine provide the basis of the sermon that she was preparing to give on Ash Wednesday. The snow created an opportunity for reflection and a change of lifestyle that is part of Lent.
The Vesty met in retreat on Saturday to plan for the year. Roger Key was elected as Senior Warden and Johnny Davis as Junior Warden
This was the last Sunday of the month with two services. Morning Prayer and Eucharist were switched since this was the first Sunday in Lent. Morning Prayer was at 9am and Eucharist at 11am. 9am Morning Prayer was cancelled due to the extra snowfall on Saturday. Thawing had begun with large puddles on the Market Street side of the church
Lent brings not only a change in church seasons but visible changes to the service and content of the service. The most noticeable change is that of color. The use of purple symbolize both the pain and suffering leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus as well as being a color of Jesus’ royal kingship and of his royal priesthood. The altar, for instance, has hangings of purple.
We use different crosses in Lent. The “red” cross the Helmut made is a symbol of Jesus’ blood and suffering. A red cross is also called the St George’s Cross. He is the patron saint of England, and knights wore this distinctive emblem to display their allegiance.
There are no or minimal flowers on the altar during Lent, again reflecting the focus on repentance over celebration. Processional crosses and altar cross are often veiled in purple. Music tends to be more somber and used only as accompaniment and not as a solo instrument. The prelude is eliminated. Certainly objects are simpler. A pottery rather than a metal chalice is used for communion .
The service reflects a change of seasons. Rite 1 was used for both services today and is more traditional and has features that are closely related to the themes of Lent, such as sin and confession. The Rite 1 Eucharist includes two biddings to confession.
We had 35 at the service. The sermon dealt with transitions which are apparent in the Gospel reading from Jesus being baptized, to being driven into the wilderness for 40 days and finally beginning his ministry proclaiming the Kindom of God. Catherine went into a number of ways to experience Lent. "The promise of Lent is that when we spend time in self-examination and repentance, prayer, fasting, self-denial, and reading and meditating on God’s holy word, we will find that the angels come to wait on us in our wilderness times, and that Jesus himself will be with us." The readings are here.
We also celebrated Barbara Wisdom’s birthday for Feb. 28.
This week the major emphasis is on prayer and expanding the number of services takes place. The latter involves noon day prayer and evening prayer on Wednesday nights during Lent.
Commentary by Canon Lance Ousley of the Diocese of Olynpia in Washington
Water plays a huge role in our readings this first Sunday in Lent, as it should. Traditionally this was the time that the Catechumens along with the members of the Church would be preparing for the baptisms that would come at first light on Easter morning during the Easter Vigil service.
This theme is important for us to acknowledge. Noah enters the water and emerges from it receiving a covenant from God for all of Creation. But first there was preparation for the flood. The building of the ark and the gathering in of the the creatures, as well as persevering in the face of his surrounding culture.
Jesus, too, enters the water and emerges himself as the New Covenant, Body and Blood given for the salvation of the world. The magnitude of his Baptism is signified in the reception of the Holy Spirit empowering him to go out into the wilderness and resists the worldly temptations that draw humanity away from God’s kingdom.
How might we be called to be good stewards of Baptism and the Covenant God seals on our brow through these waters? Lent is a time for penitence, purging the heart of those things which encumber our keeping of the Covenant. Lent is a time for reflecting over the Water and the promises we made as we entered it and how we are fulfilling them. Lent is a time to rethink how we might live more fully into the nearness of God’s Kingdom as we prepare for it’s fullness to break forth into the world at first light on Easter morn. In all of these actions we are preparing for what is to come, for faithful perseverance in the wilderness of our culture, and for authentic lives lived in the mission of God’s love.
So as we walk along with the Catechumens of yesterday, today and tomorrow, may our Lent be holy and blessed, reflecting off the Waters of our Baptism and preparing us once again to renew our promises not only with our words, but also with our lives. This time in the wilderness of Lent will strengthen us to steward the New Covenant with all that we are and all that we have.
May God bless us to live our lives like we are still dripping wet from the Waters God pours over us, creating us anew to bring good news to the world of God’s kingdom come.