Greetings! Now more than halfway through Lent, the words of Sunday's eucharistic prayer change ever so slightly: "You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts," we'll pray this Sunday, "and prepare with joy for the Paschal feast." Easter is coming. God's new life is always coming, but this time of year we can plot it on a map -- April 17. Easter Day begins with the Great Vigil. You're invited to an early morning sunrise service ... indoors at St. George Island's Ruddy Duck, 5:30am. Brunch follows, too; details are below.

The festival day continues with Holy Eucharist at St. George's (9am) and Ascension (10:30am). Fellowship follows each worship gathering, and there'll be an Easter Egg Hunt in the churchyard following St. George's 9am. All are welcome.

Thank you to those who've already submitted names and made donations for Easter flowers. There are clipboards in the back of both churches to submit names. You can also click here to electronically submit your memorial / thanksgiving intentions. Suggested donation per Easter flower is $10. Please make your donation via the offering plate, postal mail, or Realm. Easter is coming. We're "preparing with joy" for God's Paschal feast! Faithfully,

All are welcome to a Pre-Sabbatical Farewell Dinner this Saturday, April 2, 6pm at Ascension. Join our Resurrection Parish family to send Greg and his family on a 4-month sabbatical with our blessing and with Godspeed. All are welcome. Coffee, tea and water will be served; however, you may bring your own beverages, including wine and beer. We are looking for a few volunteer servers. Please call Karla Deselms at (240) 298-4422, or Beth Matthews at (904) 864-2257. Thank you!

Click for St. George's Bulletin or Ascension's Bulletin Join us for worship on Sundays! 10:30am at Ascension, or 9am at St. George's. Or continue to live-stream at 9am on Zoom or Facebook.

Monday evenings from 7-8pm (on Zoom), our Lenten Formation Series explores what God is doing in your life. Join us as we read Parker Palmer's book, Let Your Life Speak (click here to purchase, click here to download). The old Quaker adage, "Let your life speak," spoke to Parker Palmer. "Is the life I am living the same as the life that wants to live in me?" he wondered. The motto is usually taken to mean, 'Let the highest truths and values guide everything you do.' But Palmer takes it in a slightly different direction: "Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it," he writes, "listen for what it intends to do with you. Before you tell your life what truths and values you have decided to live up to, let your life tell you what truths you embody, what values you represent." Mondays, 7-8pm -- all are welcome for any and all sessions. On Zoom (click here) April 4, 11

Please consider joining the Resurrection Parish REACH Pastoral Care Ministry! We are so grateful for all God has been doing in our churches here at Ascension and Valley Lee and are looking forward to all that He is going to do as we remain faithful to Him.   A Pastoral Care Ministry is, in essence, surprisingly simple. It has one fundamental aim: to help people know love, both to receive and to give. Pastoral Care is at the center of the church’s mission and ministry, and we are looking for volunteers, young and old, who are interested in helping our elderly, lonely, sick, hospitalized, and homebound by keeping them connected to our parish community through periodic visits, sending greeting cards/notes, bringing them to church – sharing God’s love. This can be a wonderful family or group experience too! What we do for the least of our brothers and sisters, we do for the Lord Jesus. (Matthew 25:40) Please prayerfully consider this invitation to help. If you have questions or would like to join this ministry, please call / text Deacon Joan at (301) 643-0613 or joancrittenden68@gmail.com

There are forms at the back of both churches for ordering flowers for the Easter service. To order online Click here.

Easter Brunch is served at the Ruddy Duck on St. George Island (street address - 16800 Piney Point Rd. Piney Point, MD) following the Easter Vigil, or from 7-8:45am. Cost is $17 per person, $9.50 for children 6-12 (5 and under, no charge). Easter Brunch Menu includes wild mushroom and leek quiche; bacon and cheese frittata; crab frittata; plain scrambled eggs (toppings to include: cheese, peppers, onions and tomatoes); Potatoes O'Brien; bacon; sausage; fresh fruit; toast with butter and jam; scones; muffins; coffee / tea / juices. Other drinks sold separately. Guests will pay The Ruddy Duck directly. We are most grateful for their hospitality!

Forward Day by Day for May-July 2022 are available in both churches -- at the back table in St. George's, and in the Khinoo Room (the room right outside the church) at Ascension. Pick up your copy this weekend. Did you know you can read the devotional and follow the scriptures online? Click here.

PRAYING YOUR WEEK Morning Prayer, Fridays at 7am -- Zoom link Compline, Wednesdays at 7pm -- Zoom link Pray through your week, along with some friends from church! All are welcome to Zoom-based Morning Prayer on Fridays and Compline, or Night Prayer Wednesdays. Can't make it, or those times don't exactly work? Catch it on Facebook, as well -- either live or whenever you have time.

HELPING WITH BUILDINGS & GROUNDS Thanks to all who help tend God's work through Ascension and St. George's buildings and grounds! Both churches have committees and once-monthly Saturday Workdays. All are welcome (anytime you can come) and we're exceedingly grateful for all the help you give.

ST. GEORGE'S B&G Committee Second Wednesday 4pm, in-person at parish hall. Next meeting Wed. April 13 Workday Second Saturday 8am Next workday Sat. April 9 ASCENSION B&G Committee Fourth Tuesday 4pm, Zoom. Next meeting Tues. April 28 Workday First Saturday 9am Next workday Sat. April 2

Fellowship time following worship has returned to both Ascension and St. George's. We're grateful to spend the time together and extend Christ's fellowship around coffee hour tables (or standing and mingling...), continuing His fellowship we started at the altar table! Coffee Hour coordinators are Karla DeSelms at Ascension, and John Morris at St. George's. Send them an email. You're welcome to host a Sunday upcoming!

At their February meeting, the Vestry considered recent trends with Covid and suggestions from our Diocese of Washington, and recommends that we begin to resume coffee hour and other fellowship opportunities. The Vestry recommends these practices for maintaining safety and honoring one another. At church, masks are optional. Indoor refreshments / coffee hour resumes. All are welcome, and all are especially encouraged to participate at whatever comfort level makes you feel most safe. The Vestry will regularly check-in around Covid precautions, and invites your good feedback.

LifeStyles of Southern Maryland and the Lexington Park Library will offer free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance to those who qualify. Free federal and state tax preparation services are offered for those whose total household income is $57,000 or less. Tax services are provided by IRS-certified tax preparers. Tax service is for Charles, Prince George’s, St Mary’s, and Calvert counties residents, only for Federal and MD state tax returns (no DC or other state returns). Prior tax returns from the last four years can be completed, but a separate appointment must be made for each tax year that’s needed. Help with taxes will be available from 9 am to 4:30 pm every Wednesday through April 13. Appointments are required; walk-ins will not be accepted. Register here or call the library at 301-863-8188. The Lexington Park Library is at 21677 FDR Blvd.

BIBLE STUDY, RUTH Thursdays at 10am In person at Church of the Ascension Or on Zoom -- link here Come to bible study Thursday mornings, 10am at Ascension in the downstairs conference room. We also welcome participants on Zoom (click here) No prior reading is required, but you are encouraged to purchase this helpful commentary.

SABBATICAL THIS SPRING, SUMMER The Vestry has committed to a time of sabbatical next spring and summer -- a sabbath pause, an intentional time of refreshment and renewal. Greg will be away from the parish on sabbatical starting on Easter (...Easter afternoon, that is). He returns Sunday August 14, 2022. During this period, the congregation will focus on renewal, connection, and deeper focus. A Sabbatical Committee, comprised of members of Ascension and St. George's, has been meeting regularly to plan the time. Click here for the update they shared at 2022's Annual Meeting. Please keep this opportunity for renewal and growth in your prayers.

Come for mid-week, mid-day worship on Wednesdays at St. George's. Healing prayers at 11am, and Holy Communion at 11:30am ... both in the church. A fellowship lunch follows in the parish hall.

Our Food Pantry is running low on shopping bags! Will you bring in bags and drop them off? Leave them at either church and we'll make sure they get to the food pantry. Or feel free to bring them by and bless the Food Pantry - open at Ascension on Mondays and Thursdays, 9am to Noon. Thank you!

Vestry meetings are on Zoom on the Third Tuesday of each month, 6pm. All are welcome to attend, if you wish. Send an email to the parish office to receive the Zoom link.

Kathy Weigel Ascension Warden Phil Horne St. George's Warden Rosann Stamper Clerk Jason Zonca Treasurer Greg Syler Rector

Sarah Chen Julie Coughlan Kurt Engel Megan Finn Kim Lumpkins

Thank you for your continued and generous financial support of God's Kingdom through the mission and ministry of Ascension & St. George's. The blessing that most people in our congregation are insulated from the volatility of business closures also comes with responsibility. The Lord has blessed you so that you will be a blessing to others. Your regular, generous financial support helps our church maintain financial health and remain a beacon of hope in our community. Please continue to mail your regular pledged financial support to: Church of the Ascension 21641 Great Mills Road Lexington Park, MD 20653 and/or St. George's Episcopal Church P.O. Box 30 Valley Lee, MD 20692-0030 Online giving is safe and secure, and easy to set up!  Click HERE for Online Giving to Ascension Click HERE for Online Giving to St. George's Click here for a helpful "how to give online via Realm." You can always set up direct check transfers (ACH) from your bank to Church of the Ascension and/or St. George's Church. Thank you for your continued financial generosity, and your prayers to keep connected during this time.

Do you have paper documents with personal information that you’d like to purge? Or unused, unwanted or expired medications in your cabinets? Dispose of them safely at the Community Shred & Medication Take Back Day on Saturday, April 9, 9am to 1pm at the Department of Aging & Human Services, located at 41780 Baldridge St, Leonardtown, MD 20650. For more information, contact Community Programs & Outreach Manager Sarah Miller at sarah.miller@stmarysmd.com or 301-475-4200, ext. 1073.