Saint Luke's Episcopal Church

Scituate, Massachusetts

 Mission Tidings









In This Issue
Magic Show This Sunday at the Gathering!  
Promptly at 10 am in the Gordon Room- Don't Miss It!
 
Our own St. Luke's Magician Kevin Butler will be presenting a Magic Show at the Gathering this Sunday. He has created special tricks to amaze, teach and remind us of our faith and Bible stories. What an exciting way to learn!
From your Bridge Priest
We are almost half way through Lent already - with March 4th being the 3rd Sunday in Lent.­  I hope that more of you will join us at the weekday services over the next 3 weeks. 
 
At noon on Wednesday is a short, quiet Eucharist.  At 7 PM on Wednesday we are alternating Holy Eucharist with Evening Prayer.  There is no homily at either service.
 
7:30 PM on Wednesday is Art & Meditation.  This is 1/2 hour of silence (with background music) to sit and color provided pictures with colored pencils.  No artistic ability needed!  It is a great way to silence your mind after a busy day. Please join us!   We finish promptly at 8:15 PM.
 
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on March 25th.  At that service we do the reading of the Passion Gospel from Mark and receive Palm branches or palm crosses.  
  
There will be Holy Eucharist on Maundy Thursday at 7 PM, with washing of feet followed by the stripping of the altar & church. Why foot washing?  Christ washed the feet of His disciples at the Last Supper.  It symbolizes our duty as Christians to serve others.  I encourage you to have your feet washed - and perhaps to wash the feet of another person.  It is optional, but it can be a very moving experience. (Come without socks - or easy to remove socks if you wish to participate.)
 
After the Eucharist is finished, we strip the altar and church.   Everyone will be invited to participate.   We remove as much as possible to make the church stark and bare.   We are reminded of what Christ endured for us.  After the Last Supper he went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray with his disciples.  He was betrayed, arrested, tortured and on the next day - Good Friday - he was crucified, died and was buried.  This is the most solemn time of the Church year.  The church remains stripped bare until it is time to prepare for Easter Day. 
 
I encourage you to stay for a while after the church is stripped on Thursday - and pray quietly. Jesus said to his disciples, "Could you not watch with me one hour?"  Or come some time on Good Friday to sit or kneel quietly for a while. The church will be open.
 
On Good Friday there will be a quiet Eucharist at noon and 7:00 PM, using the reserved sacrament from Maundy Thursday.
If you can do Thursday and Friday - then Easter Day will be all the more glorious for you.
 
Easter Day is on April 1st - more to follow about that....!
 
Peace to all, Mother Billie

Church School News
  
Creation Care Goes Batty!
Can you move beyond Dracula, Halloween and creepy haunted houses and begin to appreciate and realize that bats need us? Our middle school students are hoping to help with that. The bats hanging around in the church are about teach us about the importance of bats to the welfare of the earth. Each Sunday during Lent they will be on their batty mission! Stay tuned!
 
Holy Week and Easter Workshop-March 24th, 9:30-11am
On March 24th we invite all of our church school children to a special workshop about Holy Week. Hands-on activities and a flannel board talk will lead them through the events of Holy Week starting with Palm Sunday. This is a wonderful opportunity for our children to begin to understand the meaning of the journey that brings us to the joy of Easter. A snack will be served!
 
Church School Information
This Spring all of our classes will be focusing on the stories about Jesus from the Gospels. Pick up Threads, the handouts we give to our families each Sunday to find out more. They review what has been taught and give some suggestions for follow-up at home.

Just Desserts! Thursdays in March
Just Desserts
It is St. Luke's turn to provide the desserts for the Senior Luncheon at the Congregational Church for the Thursdays in March. Please sign up in the narthex to prepare and deliver 60 desserts (all the same) by 10 a.m. (For convenience, desserts may also be dropped off and placed in the Cong. church refrigerator the evening before). Two volunteers for each date makes the job much easier. If you have questions, contact Eleanor Waterman at 545-2079.
Meals on Wheels Needs Your Help!
There is an urgent need for both Kitchen Help and Drivers in the Scituate area. If you have a few hours a week to participate in this wonderful and important service to our elderly, please call Joan Powers to learn more, 781-545-9650.
Community Dinner
We had a great Community Dinner in February...Great workers and great guests.  Thanks to all for your support.  Look for details on March's dinner soon.
 
 
Daylight Savings Time Begins March 11    
"Spring forward"- Remember to set your clock ahead one hour!
Scituate Food Pantry Needs
Suggested items include: canned ham, salmon, clam chowder, artificial sweetener, coffee-regular & decaf, instant coffee-regular & decaf, strawberry jam.  For more information, please call Joan Powers, 545-9650.
Easter Celebration Brunch!
Once again this year we will celebrate Easter with a potluck brunch at 10AM on April 1st, between the 9AM and 11AM services.
Bring your favorite egg casserole, fruit salad, coffee cake, deviled eggs, juice etc., please see the sign up sheets in the Narthex as Easter gets closer.
We will set up in late afternoon on Saturday, March 31st due to the Farmer's Market held that morning in Dutton Hall.
Thanks in advance for your help, it is always a fun celebration. 
Any questions contact Joyce Barthold 781-378-1272, or hjosbar@comcast.net 
 
Scituate Library Adult Board Game Club  
Come join us on Thurs., March 8th from 10 AM - 12:30 PM . Let's have fun! Start a new hobby or rekindle an old interest! Come play. Meet new people. Must sign up at the Research Desk or call 781-545-8727, ext. 4 to reserve a spot.
Irish Music & Song for Seniors & Friends    
Join the Scituate Council on Aging & The River Club for this special community event for seniors, family & friends on March 9th at the River Club.  Buffet dinner, Tickets- $8, available at Senior Center, Goodies & Hennesseys. Seating is limited.
Choral Evensong- March 10, 4 p.m. 
at St. John's, Holbrook. Magnificat Boston has been performing during Evensong once a month at parishes in the Diocese since 2006. Ask Rev. Billie Mae for more information.
Coffee Hour with Malawi Children's Mission
Please join us for a special Coffee Hour after the 10 AM service on Sunday, April 8th to meet my guests from Malawi Children's Mission (MCM);  Henock Banda, Director of Education and Phoebe Kufeyani, Director of Social Services.
 
 At MCM we provide the basic needs of 150 orphans; nutrition, education, medical care and emotional support to provide opportunity for the children to thrive.   I've worked with the organization for the past 6 years and am appreciative of the generosity this congregation has shown towards MCM.   I'm excited to have my St. Luke's family meet two individuals who work passionately everyday for the vulnerable children.   I hope you will come to hear their stories and to share yours.   Thanks to the McKinnon Family for hosting with us.    www.malawichildrensmission.org
Women of the Spirit Retreat- July 20-22   
Thinking ahead to warmer weather ... Does a spiritual retreat this summer sound interesting? Join us for a relaxing 3-day getaway to a charming country inn in Weston, Vermont with fellow Episcopal women to explore spirituality in our lives, attend services at the Weston Priory, and be pampered with delicious meals enjoyed at the Colonial House Inn. For several decades, women of St. Luke's have joined ladies from St. Peter's-on-the-Canal in Buzzards Bay and other parishes to journey to Vermont for this restorative getaway. This year, our program will be held July 20-22 and led by Deacon Sharon Powers. An informational meeting will be scheduled soon to share more details - including pricing and accommodation availability - and coordinate sign ups. If you have questions prior to our meeting, please ask any one of these past attendees: Alice Dana, Tracy Dieselman, Pat Jones, Kittie Marrone, or Suzanne Otte.  All women of St. Luke's are welcome!