TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2024

Ask Yourself Six Questions

During Lent, Christians are supposed to ask one way or another what it means to be themselves…To hear yourself try to answer questions like these is to begin to hear something not only of who you are, but of both what you are becoming and what you are failing to become. It can be a pretty depressing business all in all, but if sackcloth and ashes are at the start of it, something like Easter may be at the end.

• If you had to bet everything you have on whether there is a God or whether there isn't, which side would get your money and why?
• When you look at your face in the mirror, what do you see in it that you most like and what do you see in it that you most deplore?
• If you had only one last message to leave to the handful of people who are most important to you, what would it be in twenty-five words or less?
• Of all the things you have done in your life, which is the one you would most like to undo? Which is the one that makes you happiest to remember?
• Is there any person in the world or any cause that, if circumstances called for it, you would be willing to die for?
• If this were the last day of your life, what would you do with it?

- from Whistling in the Dark: A Doubter's Dictionary

Frederick Buechner, 1988

Please remember that Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, March 10. Set your clocks forward one hour!

Bread Making as a Spiritual Practice

Many people observe the Lenten period with various spiritual practices such as prayer, fasting and giving up of particular "luxuries". Last year, our church started a new communal spiritual practice: the making of the bread for the Maundy Thursday Communion Service. Everyone who came enjoyed fellowship and a lot of laughs as we worked together.

Breadmaking can be a metaphor for God's care of each one of us: the rising, the kneading and the shaping. The Bible is full of allusions to bread. Come and explore this topic on Holy Week.

On Wednesday, March 27, we will spend time together with a dinner, a discussion of the process of making bread and the ways it can reflect our relationship with God, plus actual bread making. Everyone will help with the communion bread plus make a loaf of bread to take home for baking the next day.

THE EVENT

Wednesday, March 27 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Land Building. 

Cost for the dinner and the breadmaking ingredients for a loaf to take home is $15. 

A check delivered to Pierce in the Church Office is your reservation for the event.

Reserve by noon on Monday, March 25.

Parents of Little Ones (POLO) Party

Calling all POLO’s (Parents Of Little Ones)! We are hosting an afternoon play date for families with little ones ages 3 and under on Sunday, March 17 from 4-6 on the Land Building Lawn. We will have bubbles, chalk, and snacks for children and grown-ups! Bring a lawn chair and a blanket and join us for fellowship and play time. Big siblings are welcome and older Baptism Buddies are encouraged to reach out to their younger buddies to meet up and play together at the event! For more questions or to RSVP please contact tyler@scapc.org.

Vacation Bible School

VBS registration is open at scapc.org/vbs. The dates are Monday, June 3 through Friday, June 7 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. This program is open to all children 4 years old (by June 1, 2024) through current 5th grade. Students currently 6th grade and older may register as youth volunteers. The cost is $40/first camper, $20/siblings and $10/youth. Our theme is “Camp Firelight: A Summer Camp Adventure with God”, centered on Psalm 56:3, “Whenever I’m afraid, I put my trust in you.” This is a volunteer-run program. Participation by parents, grandparents, and friends is strongly encouraged. For more information, contact Michele Murphy. 

LENTEN SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

February 18- March 24 | Land Building Riverside Room

The 40 days of Lent are a time for self-reflection, personal growth, and spiritual pilgrimage. In this class on Sunday mornings we discuss different practices and pilgrimages, and during the week we have optional walking pilgrimages. For a schedule of class topics and pilgrimages, visit our Sunday School page.

Click here for the recording of this past Sunday's class on Mardi Gras Indians. There will be an optional walking pilgrimage tomorrow at 11 a.m. from Congo Square to the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Meet at the church at 10:45.

Topic for Sunday, March 10: "The Purpose of Labyrinth Walks" led by Sarah Chancellor-Watson | Optional walking pilgrimage for Wednesday, March 13: Audubon Park Labyrinth | Meet at the church at 10:45 or at the labyrinth at 11:15.

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

January 7 - March 24 | Phifer Library & Zoom | to be led by Richard Ashmore

In telling the story of Jesus, Matthew challenges his disciples to live each day as participants in God's kingdom--to be poor in spirit and pure in heart, turn the other cheek and love one's enemies.

Class recording: March 3

THE SECULOSITY OF MARRIAGE & PARENTING

January 7 - March 24 | 2nd floor conference room | to be led by Jenn Keene

Statistics show that fewer and fewer Americans are attending church, but author David Zahl argues that we are in fact more religious than ever. Using his funny and insightful book, Seculosity, we will dig deeper into three of the areas that can consume us as adults - Busyness, Relationships, and Parenting – and learn what to do about it.

Classes for all ages meet at 9:30 a.m. See our Sunday School page for details.

Collection for Victims of Human Trafficking

Presbyterian Women are collecting items for the Eden Centers for Hope & Healing, serving victims of human trafficking including seven Eden House residents and nine survivors in the Eden Emergency Center. Each individual will be given a tote bag with a variety of items that focus on personal comfort and necessity. Items requested for donation include candy, journals, soaps, scented lotions, nail polish, toothpaste and toothbrush, hairbrushes, bracelets, bandanas, colored pencils, adult coloring books or sketch pads. We ask that you bring items in groups of either 7, 9, or 16. Items can be dropped off in the basket at the chapel entrance on State Street.

Save the Date: PSL PW Spring Gathering

The Presbytery of South Louisiana Presbyterian Women's Spring Gathering will take place on the morning of Sunday, April 20th at Broadmoor Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge. Registration will be at 9:30, followed by worship, workshops, a Churchwide Gathering 2024 presentation, and closing with a luncheon at noon. Ashley Brown, SCAPC's own pastoral resident, will lead worship! For further details and registration, click here.

Lenten Food Drive

In addition to hunger, food insecurity can hurt people’s mental health and result in depression, anxiety, and stress. Throughout the season of Lent, we are collecting non-perishable foods for the Broadmoor Food Pantry to help alleviate this pain.  Our highlighted item this week is boxed mac and cheese, a simple and comforting dish. You can bring items to the collection bins at the Chapel entrance on State Street or in Fellowship Hall.

Our Sympathy

Our sympathy is extended to Kathie Carnahan and her family on the death of her husband Burt Carnahan who passed away on Monday, March 4 in Asheville, North Carolina. A service is being planned and we will communicate the details at a later time.

SCAPC Members Plant Trees for SOUL Nola

14 SCAPC members and 12 NOLA Wesley students spent their Saturday planting trees with SOUL Nola! SOUL's mission is to drive a resilient and environmentally equitable New Orleans by reforesting our urban landscape. Pictured here from left are Christina Carlisle, Catherine Rigby, and Khyah Van Es.