THE NEWSLETTER OF APOSTLES LUTHERAN CHURCH Gloucester, Virginia www.apostles-elca.org March 2020 Our Mission is to be a Caring Christian Community responding to God's grace through Worship, Service, and Sharing the Gospel Eruditions from the and my siblings abstain from luxuries like candy, soda, and television. I’m sure if I grew up Elesiastic a child of the 2010’s, my tablet would be put Is not this the fast that I away for this 40-day sentence of Christ centered choose: love. In truth, I didn’t feel any closer to Jesus to loosen the bonds of during Lent than I did any other liturgical injustice, season, so I saw Lent as something to be to undo the thongs of the endured until Easter relinquished me from the yoke, bonds of my first world problems. You’re to let the oppressed go free, probably thinking that as I embraced adulthood and to break every yoke? and my call to the Office of Ordination, God Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, Almighty bestowed upon me an epiphany that and bring the homeless poor into your transformed the errors of my youthful house; heterodoxy. Alas, such epiphany never came as when you see the naked, to cover them, I resent fasting now more than ever now that I and not to hide yourself from your own kin? am older. The stakes of my problems and Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, appreciations have increased with my age. I’ve and your healing shall spring up quickly; come to realize that if fasting wasn’t bringing your vindicator shall go before you, my closer to God, then it was useless, and I the glory of the Lord shall be your rear shouldn’t conform to it simply because my guard. religion tells me it’s the proper thing to do. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; Instead, the fast I choose is taking on you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I consideration for others by actually listening to am. what the need, even if I cannot provide what I If you remove the yoke from among you, want to give them, or worse, feel they should the pointing of the finger, the speaking of need. I think that was the point of the Meet the evil, Pastor sessions I held over the past few months. Iif you offer your food to the hungry I wanted to meet people on 1-on-1 basis in a and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, controlled environment, and what many of you then your light shall rise in the darkness need is flexibility. So, instead of taking the easy and your gloom be like the noonday. route of abstaining from vices of subjugation, such as gummy bears and too many hours on So, here’s an honest pastor moment, Lent was YouTube, the fast I choose is communal not my favorite season growing up. My parents, empathy. I do want to get to know you, my dear who dictated my faith formation, always had me Church, only this time, I promise to do so on your terms. Mistakes will be made and Resources to Help Your misunderstanding will ensue, but all will be well so long as Christ is at the center. Perhaps, this Lenten Journey season, you’ll choose to give something toxic The Season of Lent started on Wednesday, up, like alcohol and Facebook message boards. February 26th, with a worship service that Perhaps you’ll take something positive on, like included imposition of ashes and Holy volunteer work or walking recreationally with a Communion. The Worship Ministry Team has friend. Whatever you choose, I pray that it some ideas for you for your devotional time brings you closer to Jesus. He’s a pretty great during this season of introspection as we look guy who wants you to do well. I sincerely thank forward to the celebration of Jesus’ everyone who took the time to participate in the resurrection. The term “Lent” comes from the Meet the Pastor sessions. I have enjoyed getting Old English word lencten which referred to the to know you using this particular forum, but I “lengthening” of the daylight hours during think it’s run its course. I am always available spring. Lent was traditionally a time for for conversation either at the Church office or preparing both longtime believers and new some other avenue. May God bless you all converts for the welcoming of new Christians during this Lenten Season. into the community through their baptisms, May the road rise to meet you, which were celebrated during Eastertide. Lent May the wind be always at your back. continues to be a time of preparation of self May the sun shine warm on your face, and the community as we look forward ot the The rains fall soft upon your fields. expansion of God’s reign and the defeat of sin And until we meet again, May the God who and death. loves us all hold you in the palm of His hand. - Lenten Study Guide from ELCA World An Old Irish Blessing Hunger - copies are available in the narthex - In God’s Abiding Love, join ELCA World Hunger as we journey with The Reverend Jeniffer Tillman, M.D. our neighbors in hope for a just world where all + + + + + + + + + + are fed. - Set Free by Truth - copies are also available Daffodil Festival 2020 in the narthex - this is a series of Lent For the first time, Apostles will devotions from the presiding bishop of the have a booth at this wonderful ELCA and other leaders of the Episcopal and annual festival - the Service and Sharing Anglican Church that address truth and racial Ministry team will hold a planning meeting to justice, reflecting on the challenges facing finalize plans for the booth on Sunday, March churches in North America today. 15th, after fellowship - anyone is welcome to - Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross - this is an come and help! The 2020 Daffodil Festival will online Lenten devotion from Luther Seminary - be held Saturday-Sunday, April 4th-5th (9:00 https://www.luthersem.edu/godpause/lenten- AM - 5:00 PM on April 4th and 12:00 PM - 5:00 devotional/ PM on April 5th - set up is Friday evening on + + + + + + + + + + April 3rd. We will need people to staff the booth and help with activities. Spring Adult Faith + + + + + + + + + + Formation Retreat Thursday Evening The Spring Ambassadors Community for Theological Study (ACTS) offering will be a “Sandwich and Study” retreat at Roslyn Retreat Center in Richmond - The adult study of Rachel Held Evans’ the course will be Biblical Models of Leadership book, “Inspired” will be held on March with leader Dr. Jill Y. Crainshaw. The dates are 5th and 19th - sandwich at 6:00 PM - study Friday-Saturday, March 20-21. Information is in starts at 6:30 PM. Our first gathering will be the narthex. If you would like more information Thursday, March 5th - we will meet every 2 about ACTS, please talk to Janet Gomez. other Thursday. Guatemala Mission Team Blessed Thank You!! and Sent Thank you to everyone who The Guatemala Mission team was blessed and contributed to their favorite sent during the worship service on Sunday, team for the Souper Bowl of February 23rd-7 members of Apostles will be Caring - the San Francisco 49ers won with $85 - going with the team-Donna Ambrose, Abby Britt, the Kansas City Chiefs raised $63. Donations will Janet Gomez, Linda Hodges and Pete, Betsy and be sent to the Bread for Life Food Pantry. Chris Liljeberg - the team will be treating 100’s of + + + + + + + + + + patients and installing 75 cooking stoves. A BIG Guatemala Mission Fund thank you to everyone who donated items for the Sponsors 2 Children health kits - the kits were assembled during The Guatemala mission fund has chosen 2 fellowship on February 23rd. The team will depart children in Guatemala to sponsor. Sponsorship on March 1st and return on March 8th. for the children costs $35 per month. The benefits to the child include medical and dental care, food and vitamins. In addition to these benefits, school aged children receive a backpack with school supplies, after-school homework help, and a school uniform with shoes. Apostles is sponsoring Amayda Ester Raymundo Juarez (born July 2 2019) and Hugolino Choc (born February 8, 2016). Amayda lives with her maternal grandparents and her older siblings. Her mother suffers from mental illness and has been unable to care for her. The grandparents struggle to support themselves and the children. Hugolino lives with his parents and 3 older siblings. His father is a day laborer and his The Christian Women’s Fellowship from Westerville mother cares for the children. They live in a Christian Church in Mathews (Spencer Hodges’ rustic sheet metal home with a dirt floor. church) put together 20 health kits for the mission. Children who have been sponsored are healthier + + + + + + + + + + and perform better in school. 80 children in the Mid-Week Lenten Dinner Church sponsorship program have gone on to higher education. Some have opened their own Please make plans to join us for a businesses. If you are interested in sponsoring a mid-week Lenten dinner church child, you can find out more about the program on Wednesdays during Lent - at pidoline.org or ask Pete and Betsy Liljeberg for March 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th and more information. April 1st - you won’t want to miss this unique worship experience - you can sign up to help provide soup and bread - inserts are in the weekly bulletin - there will be a special “stone soup” on March 11th.