E-Blast for Friday, February 9th, 2024

The Last Sunday after the Epiphany

Sunday, February 11, 2024

7:45 & 10 a.m. services

Preacher:

The Rev. Steve Keplinger

Sermon:

Transfiguration and The Comeback Kids

ASH WEDNESDAY

12pm Service - Imposition of ashes

7pm Service - Imposition of ashes with communion and preaching

Episcopal 101 Continues

This Sunday February 11^th @ Noon

This very popular six-week class is specifically designed for those who are relatively new to this tradition or to GSP and also for folks considering being officially Received into the church. This year, Bishop Reddall will make her formal visit to GSP on April 14, and that is the day she will confirm, receive, and ceremonially welcome new members to the parish. In addition, many folks at GSP and beyond take this class for as a refresher, to increase their knowledge in specific areas, or to hear the Rector’s take on the history, liturgy, sacramental tradition and theology of the church.

EPISCOPAL 101 CLASS SCHEDULE

February 11 - Church History from the Henry VIII thing, to the George III thing, and in the United States

February 25 - (Lent 2) The Book of Common Prayer and the Liturgy

March 10 - (Lent 4) - The Sacramental Tradition

March 17 - (Lent 5) - American Church Polity and what else happened in Philadelphia in 1789

March 24 - (Palm Sunday) A comparison of Christian denominations, present day challenges in T.E.C. and the Anglican Communion. Come join the discussions and the fun.

Steve +

BOOK STUDY: Christian Contemplative Spirituality—Silent Compassion

This is the beginning of a study of literature both modern and historic about the Christian Church’s extensive history of contemplative spirituality. In this study we’ll learn about ancient mystics (another word for contemplatives), how contemplative Christianity progressed through the years, and how the tradition continues today. Of equal importance, we’ll talk about ways in which each of us can live our lives, should we choose to do so, more contemplatively.

The first book we’ll enjoy is by one of today’s mystics: Fr. Richard Rohr, a Franciscan priest and globally recognized ecumenical teacher.

Silent Compassion

Finding God in Contemplation

Available from Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

Our relationship with the Divine Presence, and with the holy we find in each other, can be strengthened through contemplative practices. If the story and practice of contemplative spirituality interests you please join us.

WHERE: on Zoom

WHEN: 10AM on Wednesday, Feb 7th, 2024 and continuing for five more weeks.

WHAT: We’ll cover one chapter of Silent Compassion per week.

Week One Feb. 7 (Meet/Greet plus Presentation: Intro to Christian Contemplative Spirituality)

Week Two Feb. 14 (Rohr, Chapter One)

Week Three Feb. 21 (Rohr, Chapter Two)

Week Four Feb. 28 (Rohr, Chapter Three)

Week Five Mar. 6 (Rohr, Chapter Four)

Week Six Mar. 13 (Rohr, Chapter Five)

If you are interested, please send your name and email to Sandi Nesbit [email protected]

The Zoom invitation and link will be sent to you at the email you provide the day before the meeting.

About the presenter: Sandi is a member of GSP, a trained spiritual director (Shalem) and an ordained UCC minister. She has additional training in spirituality from Loyola of

Chicago (MA-Pastoral Studies/Spirituality), The Graduate Theological Foundation

(DMin-Creative Arts in Ministry) and Sofia University (MA-Transpersonal Psychology).

CLIMATE CHANGE AND HOW TO TALK ABOUT IT!

Join us for 5 meetings to study and experience as a group Katherine Hayhoe National bestselling book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientists Case for HOPE and HEALING in a divided world. Hayhoe has been named a United Nations Champion of the Earth. When Peter Woods, GPS member and recently retired therapist, an experienced group leader and avid hiker asked me to join him in facilitating this group I googled Hayhoe and listened to her TED Talk and quickly said yes. I am a member of the GSP vestry and live part of the year on a remote island in Northern Maine. Climate change is my top social justice concern for our planet. I am excited to experience Hayhoe's book together in a small group of other concerned GSP folks and learn from Hayhoe's hopeful message: "the most important thing we can do to address climate change is talk about it" and she teaches us how in her book.

SAVING US - A CLIMATE SCIENTIST’S CASE

FOR HOPE AND HEALING IN A DIVIDED WORLD

A 5 SESSION WEEKLY BOOK GROUP WHICH WILL DISCUSS AND EXPLORE KATHARINE HAYHOE’S NATIONAL BESTSELLER.

Week 1 Thursday February 22rd Meeting runs from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Bloom Room

Discussion will cover Section 1 - The Problem and the Solution

Week 2 Thursday February 29th Meeting runs from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Bloom Room

Discussion will cover Section 2 - Why Facts Matter - And Why They are Not Enough

Week 3 Thursday March 7th Meeting runs from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Bloom Room

Discussion will cover Section 3 - The Threat Multiplier

Week 4 Thursday March 14th Meeting runs from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Bloom Room

Discussion will cover Section 4 - We Can Fix It

Week 5 Thursday March 21st Final Meeting runs from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Bloom Room

Discussion will cover Section 5 - You Can Make A Difference

Number of Attendees: 8 people plus the 2 Co-Leaders. The number of participants is limited to enhance discussion time for attendees. The first 8 people to sign up for the group as a whole will comprise the group.

If you wish to sign up for the 5 session group, please email Peter Woods [email protected]; or Patricia Donahue [email protected].

Tamales will be sold this

Sunday, Feb. 11th after both services.

Thank you Maria Ramirez

We’ve heard from church members that they’d like a smaller venue – we at Spirit Now are answering that call …

All Spirit Now services are held in the Chancel, in McBride Hall, or on Zoom, and are building blocks for the larger church to get together and share faith practices in smaller groups. It is a more intimate place to read and reflect about our thoughts, our church, our communities, and our world.

Thursday, 2/15, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Spirit Now will be having a Zoom-only service. The Zoom room will open at 4:45 and the Zoom link is: https://zoom.us/j/948146775

The theme of the service is “Reconciliation: Honoring Black History” and will be led by Kim Braun. If you’d like to receive announcements regarding Spirit Now’s services to your email, please contact Kim at [email protected].

Have you ever wondered who makes the shawls given out at Blue Christmas or the baptismal shawls given to babies and adults? Well they come from a Grace St. Paul's ministry, informally known as the Shawls of Grace. This ministry is planning to meet on February 17th at 11-1pm in the Bloom Room. We welcome new Crocheter or knitters and donations of yarn.

“A CASE FOR LOVE” JOURNAL – A LENTEN PROJECT

For those who saw the movie "A Case for Love" on January 23rd, towards the end they mention that there’s a journal available on the movie website for practicing acts of unselfish love. It’s entitled "A Month of Unselfish Love - the Journal" and is available at the following link:

https://acaseforlovemovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/230816-Month-Unselfish-Love-v6-JOURNAL-ONLY.pdf

I downloaded the journal to my computer, printed it, 3-hole punched it, and placed it into a binder. I’ve decided to start the journal with the start of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, 2/14, which is also Valentine's Day, so a doubly great day to start a journal of acts of unselfish love!

I’m gathering a list of folks who are also interested in completing a journal, so we can share ideas, struggles, and thoughts, and provide encouragement to each other. To do this we’ll meet by Zoom weekly* during Lent and then once more soon after Lent to talk about how it all went.

Interested? Please email me at [email protected] by Tuesday, 2/13. Peace, Kim Braun

*my plan is to Zoom on Sunday evenings, though this may change according to who signs up.