An Invitation to a Holy Lent an Invitation to A
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An Invitation to a Holy Lent An Invitation to a An Invitation to a Holy Lent In the Book of Common Prayer (page 269) Holy Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole ent congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth L in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith. I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. And, to make a right beginning One of my favorite parts of the Book of Common Prayer is the invitation to a holy of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lent in the Ash Wednesday service. I love that the Church invites us to a holy Lent. Lord, our maker and redeemer. It is so polite. So Godly. It is how God with works with us, inviting, not demanding, seeking us through constant invitation, which we sometimes take but often ignore. We are invited to a holy Lent, not just Lent. Holiness is that ineffable quality of Godliness, which, when present in a person or place, makes us feel the real-ness Ash Wednesday Schedule of God. Ashes to Go at the NC train station • 7-8AM The St. Mark’s Vision Statement casts a vision for us to be a Church bursting with disciples who are so transformed by the Holy Spirit that we live to give for the love Ash Wednesday services • 9:30AM and 5:30PM of the Lord. Ashes and Confession from 10AM-5PM in the Chapel Lent is a season of spiritual transformation aimed at making us holy people, people who live to give for the love of the Lord. This invitation to a holy Lent is one we would be crazy to pass up. It is what our soul hungers for. The offerings in these pages are intended to make a “soul difference.” They are invitations to spiritual transformation, doorways to holiness. Maranatha, Lenten Maranatha House Church: Lenten Book Study: The Cup of Our Life: A Guide to Spiritual Growth Sunday Mornings at 9AM Lent is a season of practice. We practice prayer, A Dangerous Dozen: 12 Christians Who Threatened the Status reflection, reading Scripture, journaling about our Quo but Taught us to Live Like Jesus faith journey, meditating and simply taking time to breathe. You are invited into these spiritual by the Reverend Canon Chuck Robertson, Canon to the Presiding Bishop of practices using a resource by Joyce Rupp, the Episcopal Church, Forward by Archbishop Desmond Tutu The Cup of Our Life: A Guide to Spiritual Growth. This book includes 42 days of suggestions for your Meet twelve fascinating, and at times, intimidating Christian change agents who individual daily Lenten practice. were unafraid to ask what God would have them do in the face of life’s realities, and were unafraid to go ahead and do it. Their words and actions challenged In addition to your daily practice you are also the status quo, and in so doing they showed the face of Jesus to the Church invited to join one of four small groups who will and to the world. meet weekly during Lent for one hour. These groups, like the former Maranatha House Whether calling us to live simply in the Churches, will give us the opportunity to meet once a week, to pray together, to name of Jesus, showing us the way of share how our individual daily practice is going and to connect with each other’s lives. genuine peacemaking, or exemplifying the true meaning of courage, the legacies of On Sundays, February 19 and 26, sign up for a weekly small group meeting at these blessed troublemakers continue to our COOL (the Cup Of Our Life) table in Morrill Hall during the World’s Greatest inspire us today—if we let them. Coffee Hour. You may also sign up on our website at www.stmarksnewcanaan.org, or by calling Rob Schwartz at 203.966.4515. We will have some copies of COOL Paul of Tarsus Sojourner Truth available for $20, or you may purchase your own. Mary Magdalene Dorothy Day Origen of Alexandria Dietrich Bonhoeffer Below are the leaders of the small groups and the meetings and location times. Franics of Assisi Janani Luwum Questions? Contact Pastor Martha at [email protected]. Hildegard of Bingen Oscar Romero Thomas Cranmer K.H. Ting Maureen Mayer and Mark Thorsheim: Sunday evenings beginning March 5 at 5:45PM in the Library There will be a few copies of the book for sale at the 9AM book study, and at Eileen Kennedy and Charlene Berardino: The World’s Greatest Coffee Hour, or you can order on Amazon. Wednesday mornings beginning March 8 at 10:15AM in the Library (after Wednesday morning Eucharist) Jeff Wells and Linda Andros: Wednesday evenings beginning March 8 in the balcony of the church at 6:15PM before Blues in Lent Nancy Meany and Michele Ernst: Thursday evenings beginning March 9 at 6:30PM in the Library Blues in Lent March 22 • Solomon Hicks Five Wednesdays in Lent from 7:30-8:15PM Solomon Hicks is a jazz and blues guitar phenom who has been in the music biz since Lent is a time for self-reflection, spiritual regeneration, and developing new age 13. As a bandleader and composer he has practices to move us towards transformation and new life. In my experience, released two albums. He has worked with playing and listening to the blues and to spirituals has allowed me to experience and played with many artists such as Ne-Yo, a deeper part of my humanity, and has been a way for me to reflect and grow as Tony Bennett, Jon Hendricks, Russell Malone, a person. This month I will be presenting a series of duos performing some of my Stanley Banks, the B.B. King Blues Band (with favorite pieces from this idiom. I will be joined by a selection of amazing musicians Junior Mack, led by Jerry Dugger), Lonnie that I have been blessed to work with in the past, and each evening is sure to be Youngblood, and Winard Harper. unique and special. Please join us! March 29 • Jason Marshall Thank you, Jason Marshall is a highly sought after Tom Larsen (son of Pastor Martha) saxophonists across the whole music industry. He has recorded and performed with a diverse March 8 • Wayne Tucker and esteemed collection of artists such as The Wayne Tucker is a 30 year old Trumpet player/ Mingus Big Band, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Composer/Arranger based in New York City. He is a Roy Hargrove, Abdullah Ibrahim, The Afro-Latin 2009 graduate of the Jazz Studies program at SUNY Jazz Orchestra, The Mambo Legends, Dr. Lonnie Purchase under the direction of Todd Coolman. Smith and The Roots. Born in Washington DC, He Wayne has played with many of today’s current Jazz holds degrees from The New School for Social stars including Kurt Elling, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Research and Aaron Copeland School of Music. Cyrille Aimee, and Pop stars like Taylor Swift, Elvis As a composer, Jason was nominated for a Costello, Matt Simons and Ne-Yo. Grammy for his composition and arrangement “Ms. Garvey, Ms. Garvey!!” in 2009 featured on Roy Hargrove’s big band album “Emergence”. April 5 • Todd Caldwell March 15 • SaRon Crenshaw Todd Caldwell is a New York City SaRon Crenshaw is among the based piano and Hammond organ foremost bluesmen in NYC (or player. Originally from Texas, Todd anywhere), and travels all of the is from a family of musicians and US and internationally playing his essentially grew up in his father’s brand of soul-infused blues music. recording studio. He has toured He is going to be releasing his debut extensively over the last 10 years, studio recording with One Trick Dog most notably with 60’s folk rock Records in the coming months. icons Crosby, Stills and Nash. In New York, in addition to recording and teaching dates, he can be heard playing with a variety of artists ranging from country to jazz. Todd is also a student of acclaimed jazz musician Sam Yahel. Tom Larsen is a New York City based blues, rock and jazz guitar player, singer Intimacy with Christ: and composer. His group People vs. Larsen (for which he is the bandleader, Lenten Quiet Morning with Fr. Peter composer, and producer) has released 2 albums. He has performed all over Saturday, March 11 from 9:00AM-12:00PM the US, Mexico, Europe, and the Middle East, as well as on the music scene in NYC since 2008. Come for a bit of deep quiet, a time to reconnect with your Lord in the depths of your being and in the community of your fellow believers. The morning will include “maranatha” quietude, a guided meditation, and sharing before a closing Holy Eucharist.