Thanks to everyone who took part in our Scout Sunday & Children's Service in February and to all the children who participate in the dismissal prayer circle at the end of the 10 am Sunday service. Several parishioners have remarked on how much they enjoy seeing the children and youth involved in worship services. For the last Sunday of this month, there will be no Children's Service. Instead, please join us at Sunday School to make Palm crosses and other seasonal crafts and hunt for Easter Eggs. The Children's Service at the end of April will be the last Children's Service for this program year.
Along with prayer and fasting, almsgiving is one of the "three pillars of Lent," i.e. ways in which we strive to get closer to God and become better Christians in preparation for Easter. The practice of filling up a United Thank Offering (UTO) Blue Box teaches our Sunday School children the importance of caring for and giving to others in need. If you are looking for outreach opportunities for your family during Lent, please consider the following options available at Calvary:
Thanks and best wishes,
Emily Sityar
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Upcoming Events at Calvary
March 01
Regular Sunday School. UTO Boxes distributed.
March 06 Family Fun Night.
March 08 Regular Sunday School. Remember to set clocks ahead!
March 15 Regular Sunday School.
March 22 Regular Sunday School.
March 29 Palm Crosses and Easter Egg Hunt during Sunday School. (No Children's Service.)
April 05 Palm Sunday - No Children's Chapel; Blessing of the Palms 9:45 am in Hughson Hall, then proceed to Sunday School classes. UTO Ingathering during the 10 am service.
April 12 Easter Sunday - No Sunday School. Nursery care is available.
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Family Fun Night
Looking forward to seeing CYM Families for a fun night.
Saturday, March 6
from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
in Hughson Hall
Pizza, Salad, Fruit, Beverage and Dessert
Games for every one
This is for CYM Families with toddlers thru High School
students and open so you can bring friends. To top it
off there is no cost. What are you waiting for? Mark your calendars now!
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REFLECTION:
Lent
Yes, Michael, Lent is a time for fasting from such things as meat from animals or amphibians or reptiles or...
Fasting, or giving up food or drink or both for a period of time, was a way for the early Christians to prepare for Easter Sunday and the Paschal Feast. (We prepare for Eucharist or Holy Communion.) At first they would go without eating or drinking for one or two days. Later these fasts would last for six days. Candidates for baptism had been preparing for a long time; they would fast for forty days before they could finally be baptized on Easter Sunday. During this time they would also spend time praying, thinking about how they were living their lives, asking God to forgive their sins, and thanking God for sending his Son Jesus.
For us Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday-a period of forty days. (We do not include Sundays, which are considered always to be feast days.) It is still a time for fasting from those things that we believe are necessary and important in our lives. Some of us give up meat-be it from animals, amphibians, reptiles. Others fast from such "necessities" as pizza, candy or ice cream. And still others abstain from cell phones,TikTok, You Tube, X boxes, Wii or Nintendo -those things that we have come to think we absolutely must have in our lives.
It is a time when we look at how we are living our lives as Christians. Are we doing those things God wants us to do? Have we done some things that do not please God? (And every one of us has!) Are we sorry for doing things we should not have done? We ask God to forgive us and think about how we can do better. And we really try to be more like God wants us to be.
During these forty days of Lent, it is important that we add and/or replace those things we have given up with some special activities and devotions. We can set aside some time for prayer and talking with God. We can spend some time reading in our Bibles and prayer books. We can take the money we normally spend for candy, ice cream, video game cards and give it to help others who need food, clothes, and school supplies. We can donate money or buy pet food and supplies for the pet food pantries. Instead of playing video games or chatting on line, we can spend that time helping our parents or next door neighbors or friends and classmates. We might even make a special effort to close the refrigerator door, keep our rooms neat, take in the neighbors' recycling tote or be more kind to our classmates.
These are only a few ways to make Lent a special season, but there are many more. It is during the Lenten season that we try to make our lives more focused on and pleasing to God. Easter will be here soon!
-Deacon Mona
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Jelly Bean Prayer
Red is for the blood He gave,
Green is for the grass He made.
Yellow is for the sun so bright.
Orange is for the edge of night.
Black is for the sins we made,
White is for the grace He gave.
Purple is for His hour of sorrow.
Pink is for our new tomorrow.
A bag full of jelly beans is yummy to eat.
It's a picture, a promise, a special treat
To help us remember Jesus' work complete
Gives us hope beyond any earthly sweet.
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Children's Chapel
Carol Mayo, Lora Bunting and Emily Sityar
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It's such a pleasure to see Children's Chapel filling up on Sunday mornings. Chapel starts at 9:30 a.m., so that our clergy have time to visit before the 10 a.m. service. But don't worry if you arrive late; just join in when you can! Thanks to all the children who have been doing chapel jobs, giving to the Children's Offerings, and sharing their thoughts and prayers.
As we begin the season of Lent, the chapel altar will be clothed in purple. We will be singing the hymn "What Wondrous Love is This?" Sung during Lent, this hymn evokes feelings of sadness but also deep gratitude and wonder, calling to mind the words of
John 3:16:
"
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."
Here's the first verse of Hymn 439,
What Wondrous Love is This?
, which the children could also practice at home:
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to lay aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
to lay aside his crown for my soul!
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Nursery (infant - 3 years)
Kelly Blackey
Olivia Fleming, assistant
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We are ready to welcome more children! Nursery doors are open at 8:45 a.m. Livi and I will stay after Sunday School for those kiddos that are too restless to go upstairs. Any parental volunteers are more than welcome to come assist on any Sunday.
Kelly Blackey - Nursery Supervisor/Coordinator
Olivia (Livi) Fleming - Nursery Assistant
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Beginners Class (Pre-K & K)
Natalie Bottomley
Assistant: Andria McCarthy
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Hello from the Beginner Class!!
In March we will be discussing Lent and Easter. There will be game night on Friday March 6th from 6 to 8 p.m., one of my favorites! We will not be having a children's service at the end of March, instead we will be creating cross crafts and having an Easter egg hunt.
-Natalie Bottomley and Andria McCarthy
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Primary Class (Grades 1-3)
Cinda Stone, Jency John & Wes Stone
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Our Sunday school class time is so much fun. I am enjoying our discussions and all the wonderful artwork our class has been creating to go along with our lessons. We all look forward to seeing our Calvary kids each week.
Our first Sunday in March is also the first Sunday in Lent. Our lesson today is about about what to do in the face of temptation. Jesus was tempted in the desert when he went to pray. Adam and Eve also faced temptation in the Garden of Eden. We will talk about faithfulness and learn about choices.
On March 8th our lesson is about being "Born Again". What do you think that means?
March 15th brings us to the third Sunday in Lent. Water is the topic of the day. You won't get wet today, come and find out what we will be doing.
On the 22nd we are going to learn about "Spiritual Blindness." That sounds like a big topic. Don't worry, our lesson will help you "see" and understand what this means.
Instead of our usual family service on the last Sunday of the month, we will meet in Children's Chapel. Then off to Easter Crafts and Palm Cross making with an Easter Egg hunt in Kryder Courtyard! We hope you will join in on the fun!
Primary Class Team,
Cinda Stone, Jency John and Wes Stone
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Intermediate (Grades 4-6)
Patty Rooss & Kelly Mogavero
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In February we learned that Jesus calls us to make positive changes in the world and make peace with others. In March the season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and culminates 40 days later on Easter Sunday with Jesus' resurrection on April 12th. During the month of March we learn about God's care for us on our individual journeys and the importance of young people in God's sight. We also learn about His willingness to help God's people when they are in need and that temptation can be an opportunity for faithfulness. We will explore these lessons through arts, crafts, music and role playing. You also don't want to miss helping out with the Easter Egg Hunt and making Palm Crosses on Sunday, March 29th.
-Patty Rooss and Kelly Mogavero
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United Thank Offering
United Thank Offering boxes will be distributed on March 1 and collected on Palm Sunday, April 14. UTO encourages people to notice the good things that happen each day, give thanks to God for those blessings, and make an offering for each blessing using a UTO Blue Box. UTO is entrusted to receive the offerings, and to distribute the 100% of what is collected to support innovative mission and ministry throughout The Episcopal Church and Provinces of the Anglican Communion.
The Blue Box Prayer
Almighty God, I give you praise
for blessing me in many ways.
Create in me a grateful heart
and with this gift a blessing
start. Amen.
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Youth Window Painting
Calvary youths and adults will be painting the Sunday School hallway windows again for spring and Easter on 1 or 2 afternoons during the third or fourth weeks of March. Please contact Emily Sityar if you wish to participate.
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Bottle & Can Redemption Drive
In February, CYM donated $300 from bottle drive funds to
the Buffalo Zoo's Victoria Emergency Wildlife Fund to aid in Australia's wildlife recovery efforts from the devastating wildfires this past winter.
Many thanks for contributing to our drive!
Redeemable bottles and cans labeled with "NY State 5ยข refund" may be placed in the bins by Calvary's parking lot entrance or returned directly to either of our two redemption centers.
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The Integrity Bottle & Can Redemption Center at 2790 Sheridan Drive, or
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The Millersport Recycling Bottle & Can Redemption Center at 803 Millersport Highway.
Remember to tell them to credit your returns to "Calvary Episcopal Church."
If you can, please sign up on the sheet posted on the Sunday School Bulletin Board to empty our bins and bring the bottles and cans to our redemption centers.
Thank you!
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DIOCESAN INFORMATION
Safe Church
All church personnel and volunteers who regularly or occasionally work with or around children or youth and all parents who volunteer in nursery school or Sunday school classes must complete Safeguarding God's Children and Safeguarding God's People training. A refresher course (online or in-person) must be taken every three years.
Safeguarding God's Children: Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
provides participants with the information they need to protect the children they know and care for in the ministries in which they serve. The program is based on the philosophy that if every adult can protect just one child, they will forever change one life.
To sign up for the online course, whether it is to take the training for the first time or to renew your training please fill out the following form. For questions about signing up for Safeguarding, contact Megin Sewak.
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They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither;
everything they do shall prosper.
[Psalm 1:3]
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photo waiver.
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