Daily Offices Offer Intimate Prayer Forum
By The Rev. Cameron Randle, Rector
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In The Book of Common Prayer: Past, Present and Future, edited by Prudence Dailey, a church historian describes the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer as “the Bible re-arranged for public worship.” One of the key characteristics of public worship centered around the Prayer Book is an emphasis on prayerful liturgies called Daily Offices. They include Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer and Compline.
At Eastern Shore Chapel, we are offering Noonday Prayer at 12 PM in the sanctuary on Monday through Friday of Holy Week. A talented rota of lay preachers from within our parish is leading these services, which are confined to 30 minutes and observed without Holy Communion.
Harold Williams initiated the lay homilies with a comparison between the biblical sisters Martha and Mary, one of whom was traditionally known for her focused devotion to Jesus; the other more preoccupied with being organized and efficient. Harold’s challenge included an invitation to ask ourselves which woman our inner lives more closely resemble?
Tuesday’s homily by vestry member Allison Ward Johnson explored the role of wonder in our spirituality. Her depiction of God’s voice interpreted as thunder by people surrounding Jesus was a reminder of our capacity to miss out on divine messages if we’re not mindful and fully present to the prospect of communicating with God.
Parish treasurer John St. John spoke on Wednesday about the directive given to every believer in Jesus as the Christ to fully engage with the world in which we live, being especially responsive to cruelty, injustice and inequity.
Lee Davis is the officiant and lay preacher for Maundy Thursday’s Noonday Prayer service. Davis says one meaningful aspect of the Holy Week offerings at mid-day is the opportunity to participate in corporate prayer with others. “I’m accustomed to doing Noonday Prayer by myself,” he notes, emphasizing the joy that comes with community interaction.
Noonday Prayer on Good Friday will be led by Debbie Quam. Her homily is likely to underscore the formidable task each of us has been given to confront our own mortality in light of the crucifixion of Jesus. As a police chaplain, Debbie’s lay ministry makes its way into a broad array of potentially difficult circumstances. Her chaplaincy perspective is public at times, private at others.
Similarly, we who pray in private are encouraged to pray with others as part of a healthy and disciplined spirituality. If your schedule permits this week, please consider stopping by Laskin Road for a few well-spent moments at the noon hour.
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Thursday Morning Prayer Returns Live
As Regathering gathers momentum at Eastern Shore Chapel, Thursday Morning Daily Prayer returns LIVE in the narthex beginning Thursday, April 8 at 7:30 AM.
Facilitator Lee Davis promises hot coffee and good fellowship. “All are welcome…and that means All! We will wear masks and practice physical distancing but there is plenty of room. Please plan to join us if you can.”
The Daily Office of Morning Prayer will be said in-person each Thursday morning on a weekly basis.
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Schedule of In-Person Worship Services @ ESC
Maundy Thursday - 7 PM on Thursday, April 1 (Registration required by phone or email.)
Easter Sunrise - 7 AM on Sunday, April 4 (Outdoors, casual, please bring seating.)
Easter Rite I - 9 AM on Sunday, April 4
Easter Rite II - 11 AM in Sunday, April 4 (Sanctuary seating is CLOSED. Overflow seating in Parish Hall is available.)
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Maundy Thursday Night of Prayer
Thank you to all who have registered for our Night of Prayer. We still have spaces available if you would like to sign up for an hour shift of prayer, beginning after our Maundy Thursday service and concluding prior to Noonday prayer on Friday.
Resources will be provided to guide your time of prayer. Prayer guides from for Compline, New Zealand Night Prayer, and Morning prayer from the BCP and Iona Community will be available. There will also be guides for using Anglican Prayer beads (with prayer beads graciously on loan from our Diocese, Family Formation director, and clergy) as well as prayer guides for praying in color and through art. You may pray in the parish sanctuary or from your homes. If you plan on praying from home, please still register for a time slot.
All ages are welcome and family participation is encouraged. If you have questions or need help signing up, please contact Rev. Melody at [email protected] or Patti Glowatsky at [email protected].
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The Flowering of the Cross on Easter Sunday
The flowering of the cross has been traced back to the 6th century. It is an especially striking and beautiful way to symbolize the new life that emerges from Jesus’s death on Good Friday. Traditionally before the Easter Sunday service, the cross is covered with real flowers and the top draped in white. The cross is placed prominently at the front of the church to symbolize the new life in our risen Lord to all the worshippers present on Easter Sunday morning. The contrast between the starkly bare cross that worshippers have seen for 40 days and the living flower cross of Easter Sunday dramatically and visually represents the new life that we are celebrating after witnessing the very instrument of death and endings transformed by Christ's rising. (Trinity Episcopal Church, Upperville, VA)
We invite and encourage you to bring flowers, either store-bought or from your yard, to church this Easter Sunday. The cross will be outside on the terrace so that you may participate and take photos even if you are not planning to attend the in-person services. If you have an overly abundant amount of spring flora, please feel free to leave some extras in the bucket for those who may not have such a flourishing yard.
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First Friday Men’s Breakfast on April 2
Our First Friday Men’s Breakfast for April will be on April 2, Good Friday. To honor the solemn nature of the day we will meet via ZOOM. Click here to join. Social will start at 7:00 am, official meeting at 7:30. Bring the breakfast beverage of your choice.
We will discuss the worship options for Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday and other goings on at church. Regathering is going to be especially meaningful for those who feel comfortable gathering in person. Come hear the details! Please try to join us! Call or email Lee Davis ([email protected]) if you have any questions or suggestions.
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Parish Book Store: Pocket Tokens
The Parish Book Store has pocket tokens to remind you of God's presence in your life, a special gift for those being baptized or confirmed or facing challenges. We have other gift items as well as cards and books to celebrate, comfort and inspire. Come see us on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sundays after the service, or call 757-425-0114 for an appointment at other times.
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Join us for a live conversation with authors Anne Lamott and Nadia Bolz-Weber |
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The Episcopal Booksellers Association in partnership with Parish Book Store, and its other member stores, invites you to a Live conversation with New York Times bestselling authors Anne Lamott and Nadia Bolz-Weber to discuss Anne's new book Dusk Night Dawn: On Revival and Courage. Thursday, April 8, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Ann Lamott's new book will be available at the Parish Book Store and on their virtual shelves at bookshop.org/shop/parishbookstore. Anyone wanting to take part in the event April 8 must register with the Parish Book Store ([email protected]) to get the ZOOM link.
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Lawn Care Volunteers Needed
Spring is coming! We are in need for new volunteers to help our teams maintain the grounds at ESC each week. Starting in April, we will be cutting the grass and tending to the lawn weekly into the summer months. Volunteers are needed to assist on Friday late afternoon and early evening or on Saturday morning depending on which team you’re on. If you are interested in joining our dynamic Lawn Crew team, please contact Rod Gilmour by calling 757-613-0448 or email at [email protected]. Please consider sharing your time and talent by joining this important ministry!
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Parish Day School: Teacher Appreciation Week and Chicks!
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week! We are so grateful for our amazing teaching team and all they do for our students and families. Each day the Parent Teacher Fellowship has surprises planned for our teachers along with our Parish Day School Board. We are so blessed!
There is lots of excitement in our hallways as the chicks are being moved from the incubators to the brooder. We are loving hearing their little chirps and peeps! They are with us this week and then they head back to the 4H Farm on Friday.
Parish Day School is so thankful to see congregation volunteers during the week preparing for Sunday. It is so nice to know that things are opening up! Parish Day School is presently not allowing parents or volunteers to enter the building. We are continuing to follow the guidelines from Department of Social Services and the Virginia Department of Health. Please help us help keep our students, teachers, and families safe by being extra mindful of the congestion in the hallways and on the sidewalks during the following times:
- Morning Drop off: 7am to 10am (Main Sidewalk)
- Half Day Pick up: 12noon to 1pm (Main Sidewalk and Sanctuary)
- Evening Pick up: 3pm to 6pm (Main Sidewalk)
Parish Day School will be on Easter Break from Friday, April 2 through Friday, April 9, 2021. Happy Easter!
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Zoom with your Sunday School class!
Please note that Sunday School classes and Godly Play will not meet March 28 and April 4. Classes will resume April 11.
Join friends and teachers, by Zoom, as they meet and discuss lessons from this year’s curriculum – Feasting on the Word. Confirmation classes for students in the Senior High Class meet on the first and third Sundays of the month during the regular Sunday School hour at 9:10 a.m. Classes on the second and fourth Sundays include Lectionary based topics. To discuss formation needs or other questions, please contact Patti Glowatsky ([email protected]), Director of Family Formation:
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Daily Prayer Opportunities
Each morning (except Sunday) a group gathers on ZOOM to practice Daily Morning Prayer. It is lay led, each day with a different leader. Since March 25 we have had 221 services with over 800 attendees. Average attendance is 3.6 souls. Attendance has improved in December, average is 4.5 souls! Join us for a Holy Spirit filled thirty minutes – a glorious way to start your day. The service starts promptly at 7:30 am and is completed by 8:00. Click here or go to ZOOM.US and enter meeting number 562 715 368; passcode John1513. If you are more inclined, Evening Prayer is available also. ZOOM meeting number 869 9363 5805 password Ex1414. The service starts at 7:00 pm.
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Prayer Cards for Deployed Service Members
If you would like a prayer card sent to your deployed service member please contact Bill Hunter at [email protected] or 757-402-6384. Please let Bill know if deployed military members have returned so that he can welcome them back and remove them from the deployed military prayer list. Sponsors should contact Bill with contact info for formerly deployed members. |
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The Chapel Chimes is distributed every Wednesday.
If you would like to submit an article to the Chapel Chimes email
with "CHIMES SUBMISSION" in the subject line.
Deadline is every Tuesday at 5 pm.
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