March 2017 ST. PAUL’S EPISTLE 250 Hwy 2 NE • P.O. Box 1225 • Corinth, MS 38835 • 662-286-2922 In this Issue Church Family Life, p. 2 Happy Birthday/ Anniversary! p. 2 ECW Spring Confer- ence, p. 2 Have you picked LentMadness brackets? p. 2 Sign up for supper club by March 5, p. 2 Calendar, p. 3 Easom lunches return, p. 3 FUMC Lenten Lunch schedule, p. 3 Family stories group shares memories, p. 3 Sunday School fun, p. 3 Treasurer’s Report, p. 4 Observing a Holy Lent Traditionally, Lent is a season of preparation for baptism; of repentance and a return to the foundations of our faith; and of preparation for Easter joy. Perhaps in some years you have “given something up”—that is, fasted from something. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the two days our church calendar sets aside as fasts, though fasting is a spiritual practice that can help us become aware of our bodies, our habits, our frail- ties. Utimately, a fast helps us become aware of our dependence on God. It’s not a power trip to test your steely will. It’s a conscious choice to say no to something, to become empty of one thing so that we might be filled with Christ. Chocolate, alcohol, meat, TV, raising your voice, Facebook, dining out. If you’d like to try a fast from meals, consider keeping fast from sundown (after supper) to sundown (break the fast with the evening meal). Drink water during the day, and don’t skip caffeine in the morning if you’re accustomed to it. You might choose to “take something on”. A new habit of prayer, Bible study, worship partici- pation, charitable giving. The Ash Wednesday service charges us to make the season holy “by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and medi- tating on God's holy Word.” Here are some ways to keep Lent at St. Paul's: * Be matched with a Prayer Partner. The two of you will meet at least once—but perhaps sev- eral times throughout Lent. Share a few of your current hopes and concerns, and make a plan to pray for each other with those things in mind. You decide how. Idea sheets are available. Send a text, check in on Wednesdays, agree to pray for one another at a certain time of day. * Take part in Lent Madness, an activity based on another March sports bracket. Each day during Lent, there’s a matchup that pits one saint against another. Pick up a Saintly Scorecard to read a biography about each of the saints, and vote for your favorite at www.LentMadness.org. The winning saint advances to the next round, toward the coveted Golden Halo. It’s a fun way to learn about people who, in their day and time, using their gifts, made the light of Christ known to others. * Make plans to attend our Lenten Quiet Day retreat at the Bruhwiler farm in Ramer, TN. We’ll spend the morning hearing a couple of reflections on Scripture, interspersed with quiet time for walks, journaling, and prayer. We’ll close the day with a simple Eucharist and meal to- gether. RSVP closer to the date. * Make a confession using the rite of Reconciliation of a Penitent, BCP 447. * Speak to Rev. Ann about your spiritual life. God be with you, Ann+ Save the Date: April 1st All are invited to a Lenten retreat in the country at Ryland and John Bruhwiler’s place Saturday morning, April 1. Stay tuned for more information, directions and sign-up sheets for this event, open to anyone interested in quiet reflection with brief discussions and periods of outdoor alone time. The retreat will close with Eucharist and lunch.
Transcript
March 2017
ST. PAUL’S EPISTLE 250 Hwy 2 NE • P.O. Box 1225 • Corinth, MS 38835 • 662-286-2922
In this Issue Church Family Life, p. 2 Happy Birthday/Anniversary! p. 2
ECW Spring Confer-ence, p. 2 Have you picked LentMadness brackets? p. 2 Sign up for supper club by March 5, p. 2 Calendar, p. 3 Easom lunches return, p. 3 FUMC Lenten Lunch schedule, p. 3 Family stories group shares memories, p. 3 Sunday School fun, p. 3 Treasurer’s Report, p. 4
Observing a Holy Lent
Traditionally, Lent is a season of preparation for baptism; of repentance and a return to the foundations of our faith; and of preparation for Easter joy.
Perhaps in some years you have “given something up”—that is, fasted from something. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the two days our church calendar sets aside as fasts, though fasting is a spiritual practice that can help us become aware of our bodies, our habits, our frail-ties. Utimately, a fast helps us become aware of our dependence on God. It’s not a power trip to test your steely will. It’s a conscious choice to say no to something, to become empty of one thing so that we might be filled with Christ. Chocolate, alcohol, meat, TV, raising your voice, Facebook, dining out. If you’d like to try a fast from meals, consider keeping fast from sundown (after supper) to sundown (break the fast with the evening meal). Drink water during the day, and don’t skip caffeine in the morning if you’re accustomed to it.
You might choose to “take something on”. A new habit of prayer, Bible study, worship partici-pation, charitable giving. The Ash Wednesday service charges us to make the season holy “by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and medi-tating on God's holy Word.”
Here are some ways to keep Lent at St. Paul's:
* Be matched with a Prayer Partner. The two of you will meet at least once—but perhaps sev-eral times throughout Lent. Share a few of your current hopes and concerns, and make a plan to pray for each other with those things in mind. You decide how. Idea sheets are available. Send a text, check in on Wednesdays, agree to pray for one another at a certain time of day. * Take part in Lent Madness, an activity based on another March sports bracket. Each day during Lent, there’s a matchup that pits one saint against another. Pick up a Saintly Scorecard to read a biography about each of the saints, and vote for your favorite at www.LentMadness.org. The winning saint advances to the next round, toward the coveted Golden Halo. It’s a fun way to learn about people who, in their day and time, using their gifts, made the light of Christ known to others. * Make plans to attend our Lenten Quiet Day retreat at the Bruhwiler farm in Ramer, TN. We’ll spend the morning hearing a couple of reflections on Scripture, interspersed with quiet time for walks, journaling, and prayer. We’ll close the day with a simple Eucharist and meal to-gether. RSVP closer to the date. * Make a confession using the rite of Reconciliation of a Penitent, BCP 447. * Speak to Rev. Ann about your spiritual life.
God be with you, Ann+
Save the Date: April 1st All are invited to a Lenten retreat in the country at Ryland
and John Bruhwiler’s place Saturday morning, April 1. Stay tuned for more information, directions and sign-up sheets for this event, open to anyone interested in quiet reflection with brief discussions and periods of outdoor
alone time. The retreat will close with Eucharist and lunch.
2
Vote your picks at Lentmadness.org
Join a supper club? Sign up by March 5
Do you remember the fun and fellowship and down-right delicious food we enjoyed at St. Paul’s supper clubs in years past? If so, you’ll be pleased to know the popular small-group dinners will be offered again soon. There’s a signup sheet on the easel in the narthex for those who would like to be included in the new groups. Groups of 8 to 10 people—including both singles and couples—will meet monthly to share dinner together. Previous groups have met at alternate members homes, in the church parish hall, at cabins , and in restaurants. Past members took turns hosting a dinner, with the host providing a main course dish and others bringing ap-petizers, side dishes and desserts. Once groups are named, they can start with a simple finger food get-together to plan when and where they’ll be meeting in the coming year. Do you want to take a break during the summer or continue with cookouts? Will some be hosting Dutch-treat at a restaurant? There are no rules. Next year, supper clubs will be regrouped so there will be more opportunities to better get to know other mem-bers. Join the fun, enjoy the food and fellowship. Sign the list in the narthex by Sunday, March 5.
Church Family Life News and notes about our parish family
Nora Hughes received honorable mention in a county-wide 4-H speech competition for a speech she gave on being a middle child. Stan Taylor is back in Selmer for physical rehab following surgery to set a broken leg. Cyn-thia Harrell has qualified for the 2018 Boston Marathon with 5 minutes to spare, and placed 3rd in her age group at the Phoenix Marathon. Jake Bland is back in Iuka after brief hospitalization in Corinth. Hallie-Kate Dierks will play the role of young Alice In Savannah’s production of Alice in Wonderland, which runs March 10-12. Sarah Bul-lard is engaged to be married to Saleh Nakdali. The two met assisting Syrian refugees with a nonprofit group in Turkey. Ginger and Rick Stockton have welcomed a new grandson in Franklin, TN. Marilyn and Ted Scheitlin cele-brate the birth of a new grandson, Herschel Scheitlin, to parents residing in Osan, Korea.
Happy Birthday! Tana Daniel, 3/13; David Soltz, 3/25.
Happy Anniversary! Any March anniversaries?
Is your special day missing? To add your birthday, anniversary, or news, please call or email the church of-fice at [email protected].
Communion Bread Bakers
Thank you to Debbie Elam who baked bread for February. Sherry Smith will be baking for March.
ECW Spring Conference March 24-25
Ann Phelps, Director of Religious Life at Millsaps Col-lege, and the Rev. Andrew Barnett from the Theodicy Jazz Collective, currently Ensemble in Residence at Washing-ton National Cathedral, are the keynote speakers and worship leaders at ECW’s Spring Conference at Gray Cen-ter. Through a diverse array of musical styles and voices used in worship, participants will consider the ways that words and music shape how we understand and experi-ence God, self, and neighbor. More information about the program, lodging and meals at the March 24-25 conference, and a link to regis-tration (due by March 10) may be found at http://www.dioms.org/digital_faith/events/3173072.
Feb-Apr Serving Schedule is available here And printed copies are on one of the narthex tables. “Thank you!” to all our Sunday servers at St. Paul’s.
1 Ash Wednesday Services, 12 noon and 6:30pm 12 Daylight savings time begins; clocks forward one hour 20 Vestry Meeting, 6pm. 23 Pastoral Care, 2pm 26 Outreach Sunday
3
Family Stories writers share memories
Family story writers have been meeting twice monthly in the Gathering Room at St. Paul’s for the past few months. A fresh pot of coffee is shared along with stories from group members’ past. They’ve heard tales that brought tears to their eyes and other stories full of humor and adventure. Pre-paring for the sessions gets family history committed to paper, and some are col-lecting their sto-ries to share with family and preserve for future generations. The group welcomes anyone interested in sharing their family memories, and includes folks from our church and the local community. They normally meet at 11am on the first and third Mondays of each month, though this month’s sessions will be March 13 and March 27. Join the group to read your stories and listen to the tales others bring each time. You will be entertained and, perhaps, surprised to hear about others’ pasts and the occasional skeletons in family closets.
Sunday School Scene During their lesson March 26, children’s Sunday school class members were shocked to see our rector eat a can-dle which they had just blown out. They learned “What you see is not always what you think,” and later demon-strated the candle-eating trick for St. Paul’s adults.
March
Easom Community Lunches Resume April
By popular demand the Community Fellowship Din-ners will return the First Sunday of April. These first Sun-day dinners at the Easom Community Center, offer a time of fellowship with friends from other churches, a deli-cious hot meal and, often, talented singers while you eat. Barbara Barrett will have tickets to sell a week or two be-fore each lunch. As in the past, the lunches will take a summer break June through September.
FUMC hosts Community Lenten Luncheons at Refreshments, Inc. this year
First United Methodist Church will hold their annual Lenten Luncheons at the Weaver Center at Refresh-
ments, Inc.(101 Linden Street). The luncheons feature delicious food, a spiritual message from local pastors, including our rector, and different musical talent each week. Enjoy fel-lowship with friends from a variety of denominations. The program starts at 12 Noon on all Wednesdays
in March and the first Wednesday in April. The cost for the lunch is $6 with proceeds going to support local and state missions.
March 1 Rev. Chuck Hassell—Waldron Street Christian Church March 8 Rev. Kim Ratliff—St. Mark Baptist Church March 15 Rev. Trey Lambert—Gaines Chapel United Methodist Church March 22 Rev. Dennis Smith – First Baptist Church March 29 Father Mario Solarzano – St. James Catholic Church April 5 Rev. Ann Fraser—St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Don’t forget to spring forward Saturday night,
March 11, or you’ll be late for church
Sunday, March 12.
St. Paul's Church P.O. Box 1225 Corinth, MS 38835
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If you cannot get to church and would like to receive Holy Communion or a visit at your home or the hospital, please call the church at 286-2922.
Did you miss a Sunday? Sermons are posted on our website when available. Listen to the audio files at: www.stpaulscorinth.dioms.org/worship/sermons.html
Deadline: Please send your newsletter submission by the 21st of each month.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Sunday Schedule: 9:30 Holy Eucharist Nursery available 9:15-12:00 The Rector and Vestry: The Rev. Ann Benton Fraser, Rector Susan Adams, Senior Warden David Dierks, Junior Warden Debbie Elam, Clerk Cynthia Harrell, Treasurer Scott Bauer Ryland Bruhwiler Tana Daniel Robin Grisewood Reneé Harmon Ed Lucas Gail Vaughn
Do you receive The Missis-sippi Episcopalian? If you would like a subscription to the Mississippi Episcopalian, the monthly newspaper of the Diocese of MS, please let the church office know.
January Treasurer’s Report
Operating Fund
Capital Expenses Capital Expense Fund 8,664.28 Mortgage Balance 0
Thank you for keeping your pledge up to date.
Your generosity is an investment in our ministry and fellowship together in Christ’s name!
This
Month
YTD
Budget
YTD
Actual Variance
Pledges 41,880 41,210 41,880 679
Plate 905 1,005 905 -100
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