Episcopal Church in Snellville, GA
New Beginnings is a Middle School Episcopal renewal weekend held at Camp Mikell. Prayer Partners are family and friends who agree to pray intentionally for one or more of those attending the weekend as participants, team, or adult sponsors. Prayer Partners link the parish to the weekend, a tangible way to provide support and encouragement to our youth and those accompanying them.
Youth – St. Matthews Episcopal Church (stmatthewssnellville.org)
Finally, we see the end coming near. Holy Week is that time when we journey with Jesus through the final days of his earthly life and we witness at the end of our journey the most amazing event – the death and resurrection of our Lord – the Paschal mystery which is the very core of Christian belief. This year will be unlike any other Holy Week you might have experienced as we will match Jesus’ movements as closely as we can and that means changes in our readings and in our worship.
We begin Holy Week with the blessing of palms this Sunday. At St. Matthew’s, this joyous celebration, commemorating the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, is capped by a procession around the church campus so be careful as you come “flying in on Sunday not to hit people gathered outside for the procession of the palms. Then we continue to hear readings of Jesus’ day in Jerusalem before he heads to Bethany to stay at Mary, Martha and Lazarus’ house for a few days. There is no reading of the passion narrative on Palm Sunday this year – instead the passion narrative will be enacted by our youth on Good Friday when we believe the actual events occurred.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week tell us of how Jesus continued to surround himself with his close disciples and friends – each night at 7 p.m. we have a special liturgy with Holy Eucharist to share in this journey with Jesus. The readings for these services give us the background for what will quickly happen on Thursday and Friday. You may not have ever heard these readings and you are invited to come and find out how Jesus and his friends spent the first part of this week.
On Maundy Thursday we will gather for a final Eucharist. One aspect of this service is the (Mandatum which is Latin for command). Jesus washes the disciples feet and commands us to love one another as he has loved us. We join in this rite of Foot Washing to signal our readiness to serve others as Christ served. At the end of the Maundy Thursday liturgy we enact one of the most solemn rites of the Church year, the stripping of the Altar. The Altar and Sanctuary (tabernacle) light are symbols of Christ’s presence. In this ancient rite we commemorate the abandonment of Jesus by his followers and the stripping of Jesus by the soldiers prior to his crucifixion. To signify Jesus’ arrest and later crucifixion we extinguish the sanctuary light to remind us that the light of Christ has gone out of the world. Temporarily darkness seems to have the final word.
At noon on Good Friday when we assume the crucifixion might have occurred, we gather to walk the stations of the cross which remind us in graphic ways of the agony of Jesus in his walk to Golgotha and his death. In walking the stations of the cross, we stand symbolically with those who stood at the foot of the cross with Jesus in those final hours.
The 7 p.m. Friday evening the liturgy of Good Friday is divided into four parts. It begins in silence followed by the Liturgy of the Word which includes the Passion narrative from Mark’s Gospel which is lead by the youth of the parish. The second part is a solemn form of the prayers of the people. These bidding prayers and collects date as far back as the 3rd Century CE. It is traditional to kneel in prayer during the bidding and to stand during the collect. The third part, the Veneration of the Cross is a time to reflect on the cross as both an instrument of death and a symbol of the resurrection. ((For a bit of historical trivia, the veneration of the cross was first described in detail by Egeria (an early Christian): a fragment of the true Cross was processed to Calvary and, while the deacons stood guard, the bishop would lift it up for all to venerate. All would then come forward to kiss the cross. The deacons were in place to guard the relic because some particularly fervent pilgrims would try to bite off pieces of the cross to take home. The rite, minus the guards, remains much the same in our liturgy today.)) After anthems and silent veneration of the cross, then all depart in silence remembering the great sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Jesus has died and been placed in the tomb just before sunset.
Holy Saturday at 10 a.m. we continue the liturgy which began on Maundy Thursday – no dismissal of the gathered faith community occurs from Maundy Thursday until Easter. This brief Saturday service of prayer and scripture is intended to mirror the disciples gathered in the upper room trying to hide from the authorities and praying for God’s guidance as Jesus, their friend and leader, has been killed and they are in mourning.
Then when evening arrives on Saturday, the Great Vigil of Easter begins with the lighting of a new fire outside and the recounting of the history of salvation. Vigils have a long history in the Church; frequently they lasted all night and culminated with the celebration of Eucharist at dawn. Our Great Vigil is not an all-night vigil, only about two hours. It is time well spent as this is the beginning of our move toward Easter and the recounting of salvation history is one of the most beautiful and ancient liturgies of the church. It begins with the blessing of a fire kindled outside about dusk. From this fire our Paschal candle is lit. This large candle will burn at all services during the fifty days of Easter and also burns at any baptisms and funerals. This candle reminds us that Christ, the Light of the World can overcome even the darkness of sin and death. We will process behind this candle into the dark church where we will gather in the light of this candle around the Baptismal font. At this point a cantor will chant the ancient hymn known as the Exultet. This hymn begins to tell the history of God’s tremendous love for creation and humankind. Following the readings from Scripture, water is blessed and if there are candidates for baptism they receive the sacrament at this time. We renew our baptismal vows and all are sprinkled with the blessed water. At this point in the Liturgy, we end our recounting of God’s actions in creation and we return at dawn to discover what God has done in the darkness of the night.
On Easter Sunday morning Alleluias, grand music and incense fill the air as we conclude our Holy Week celebrations with the festive Eucharists at 7 a.m. sunrise and 10:45 a.m. These beautiful celebrations are the apex of our liturgical life. In these liturgies, commemorating the Paschal mystery, we are connected with Christians from all over the world in our time, from the past, and those yet to come. We celebrate as resurrection people the victory of Jesus Christ over death and the grave, and we are reminded that we too have eternal life.
On Easter morning, bring bells and cut flowers, if you have them, as we celebrate with joy the gift of God’s love. Egg hunt to follow the 10:45 service for those 5th grade and younger.
Come and journey with Jesus through Holy Week. Don’t miss out on this most mysterious and wonderful spiritual journey – 7 p.m. each evening.
8:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
Palm Procession and Holy Eucharist (no Passion narrative until Good Friday)
7:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist
7:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist
10:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist, 7:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist
7:00 p.m. Foot-Washing, Holy Eucharist, and Stripping of the Altar
9:00 p.m. Prayer Vigil begins (Sign up sheet in the narthex)
12:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross outside (weather permitting)
7:00 p.m. Good Friday service, Veneration of the Cross and
Passion Gospel enacted by youth. (no Communion)
7:00 p.m. Great Vigil and Baptisms (no Communion)
7:00 a.m. Sunrise service—begins outside
10:45 a.m. Festive Holy Eucharist (with incense)
Have you ever wondered about the beautiful flowers on the altar? Did you know that there is a small group that arranges them each week? At one time in St. Matthew’s history the flowers were purchased from local florists in Snellville and the altar guild would place them on the altar. The guild was formed by Ildy Mezey in 2015 and continues now under Janis Williams and Beth DiGiovanni. The guild purchases some flowers, in addition to using greenery & flowers right from the St. Matthew’s campus.Lent is drawing to a close….
So here we are nearing the end of the season of Lent and we know that the crucifixion of Jesus is just ahead of us. But we also know that God takes the sorrow and pain of death and turns it into the joy of eternal life. So this season forces us to acknowledge our dependence on God for our very existence. We are reminded that God does not insulate us from pain and difficulty, but God does walk with us, support us, encourage us and challenge us to live faithful lives of service and love.
It takes a day of clouds for us to rejoice in the sunshine. It takes a day of hunger for us to appreciate the abundance of food which we have. It takes a power outage for us to remember how much we like lights and television and heat. It takes a disciplined Lent for us to celebrate the joy of Easter. And it takes us a lifetime to realize the vastness of God’s love for us and the magnitude of the support God gives us, even when we don’t think that God is present with us.
Remember the story entitled “footprints” about the man who looked back on his life only to discover that in the most difficult times there was only one set of footprints. He responded as many of us do and yelled at God for abandoning him in his times of greatest need. In the quiet voice which answered the man’s angry outburst, God simply said, “it was then that I carried you”. The cross of Christ carries our sins so that we don’t have to be burdened with them. The cross of Christ assures us of victory over death. And the cross of Christ calls us to new lives of love and service in this life and the next.
Use the remaining weeks of Lent to gain a renewed perspective of God’s grace and mercy in your life and how you might share that joy with others. Remember everyone leaves a legacy, whether they are intentional about it or not. Be intentional in your life’s work and leave a legacy of faith and hope for those who walk this journey with you and those who will follow in our footsteps.
Have a blessed and holy Lent, Mother Pat+
In Lent, we are encouraged to practice our faith in ways which produce lasting results. Much like we might take on a new exercise routine to tone our muscles and increase our endurance, Lenten practices help us tone up our spiritual lives and provide us with tools to persevere through life’s ups and downs.
In your holy and sacred space “bag” – tool kit, you have items designed to help you develop a practice of spiritual exercise. Sometimes, it is just a glimpse of an item that makes us mindful of God’s presence; but often we need to be more intentional. Somewhat like developing an exercise or walking routine, our spiritual practices must be done regularly and with an intentionality which helps us grow in our Christian journey.
Consider adding or changing your daily routine to include a few minutes intentionally focused on God’s presence in your life. Select a spiritual discipline which helps you recognize Christ in yourself and in others. To start, remember that you are the beloved of God and believe it. Practice self-care and self-respect. If we love ourselves then we can more easily express our love for others. Second, look for Christ in others – listening to the opinions, needs and concerns of another person allow us to treat them with love, for they too are God’s beloved and they can be a reflection of God’s love to us. Lastly, remember that our lives are gifts from God. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son….” Love is the basis of God’s gifts to us and we are God’s beloved.
Live this Lent as the holy person you were created to be. And remember, we are not called to perfection, we are simply called to love God, love ourselves and love others. We will in this life miss the mark; but God takes our imperfect actions and turns them into loving gifts which help bridge the gap between what is and what can be. Blessings, Mother Pat+
More than two million people have been displaced after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, making this the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. Damage to civilian infrastructure has left thousands without electricity or water — and homes have been destroyed, affecting hundreds of thousands of people within the country. Ukrainians continue fleeing to neighboring countries such as Poland, Hungary and Romania.Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is supporting Action by Churches Together (ACT Alliance) as it works through ACT member Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) and other local organizations to provide emergency assistance such as food, shelter, water and basic supplies to refugees and people displaced within Ukraine.
To donate, click here.On February 27, HIA set up a refugee support point on the Ukrainian side of the border at Beregsurány, where volunteers are providing hot tea, sandwiches, refreshments, blankets and basic hygiene items for families, who often wait long hours to cross the border into Hungary. HIA is in contact with its network of churches and organizations, as well as local governments in Hungary, to coordinate cash assistance, shelter, food and medicine for people who have been displaced.ACT Alliance is setting up similar support points at other border towns to assist people as they leave Ukraine. It is working through local partners to provide aid for refugees in Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Poland.
Th
is past Sunday’s gospel was about Jesus being led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not wander into the wilderness by accident. He sought the wilderness of the Judean hills with a purpose in mind. He went there so that God could speak to him. Being away from the crowds and his family allowed Jesus to clear his heart and mind, so that he might gain clarity about what God was calling him to do.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are invited in this season of Lent to enter a different type of wilderness. Most of us will not literally go away from family and friends to a quiet place of isolation or silent retreat, but we can try to find a quiet undistracted space for listening to God.
Ask yourself, what are my most intrusive distractions? How can I change my day or my week to allow space for quiet time with God? It may be as simple as coming to the church for a short visit to the nave to sit in solitude; or you may find a place in your home or workspace where the intrusions are diminished so you have time with God. It may be walking the stations of the cross or slowly walking a prayer path. It can be your sacred space at home when you are alone.
In the wilderness, Jesus had few if any comforts – no food, no safe place to sleep, no one to talk to, except God. Lent is an invitation to ask ourselves, “how could going without provide space to grow?” As followers of Jesus, instead of trying to fill our life with food, people and distractions when life seems difficult and stressful, perhaps it would be in our best interest to find our own sense of desert wilderness – to be alone, but with God. How can you create that space in your life, not just during Lent, but a habit of seeking God in ways which focus on listening to God in a quiet place?
May you encounter God in this season of reflection, Mother Pat+
Can you run a marathon?
Some people have said that our Christian life is like running a marathon. Unlike a sprint or short race, a marathon requires endurance and stamina. Our Christian journey is that sort of long race and so we have to do spiritual training in order to have the endurance and stamina to accomplish our life’s goals. We have to train to serve. We have to master skills of prayer, study, and habits of discipline in order to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. We even have to form a habit of worship to offer our praise to God. So during Lent we are once again going to focus you on a spiritual training plan.
Next week we will be offering each family a bag containing items for creating a Holy and Sacred space in your homes. This bag is meant to help you connect Sunday worship with Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday… creating a spiritual training plan not just for Lent but for the whole year.
This idea of Holy and Sacred space is not so you can stay home and watch Sunday worship on your computer or phone. This is to connect your corporate Sunday worship with the rest of your week.
St. Matthew’s has fully reopened all worship and parish programming so we hope everyone will resume in-person attendance, unless prevented by personal health reasons. The Pastoral Care Team will try to ensure that those unable to attend for reasons of health will also receive a bag for their Holy and Sacred space in their home or care setting.
Jesus’ life is a model for us. Jesus prayed throughout the day, the Jewish hours of prayer were 7 times a day. Jesus offered himself to the Father in prayer, not holding back. When we pray, we offer ourselves to God. Jesus not only committed to a life of prayer and ministry, but he trusted in God’s unfailing presence. He made himself vulnerable to God’s will just as we do when we pray. In your Holy & Sacred Space bag, you will find a prayer card for a model of short prayers throughout the day.
Yet, even in our private prayer, we are in community with each other and with others around the world who are engaged in prayer. Part of the discipline of attentiveness is this sense that we are not alone, we are part of God’s kingdom in this place and our faithfulness in prayer (regardless of the results) help bring the fullness of God’s kingdom.
Take the time to develop spiritual habits of daily prayer, regular worship, study, and occasional fasting in order to run with endurance the race which is set before us. (Hebrews 12:1-3). May you find joy in each new day, freedom in each hour, and peace in God’s presence.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone on Sunday. Mother Pat+
