A Hidden Life 12 Noon Thursday March 5

We kicked off our series of Thursday "lunch and learns" in Lent with the showing, of the Film "Cabrini" All enjoyed lunch and were moved by the beautiful biopic of this remarkable woman. We'll have a series of similar films that highlight the lives of spiritual heroes, (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Franz Jagerstatter, Dorothy Day, The author of "Amazing Grace"). We'll treat it as a "Dinner Theatre" and eat while we watch. There will be an intermission to pick up coffee or tea and desert, (and take bio-breaks).

This coming Thursday we'll watch "A Hidden Life", the story of Franz Jagersttater. Since this is a beautiful film which touches on many of the issues we face today, feel free to invite any friends. If people want they can share their reactions after. Let the office know if you plan on coming, there will be a sign up sheet in the church this Sunday, so we will have enough food.

Fr C.

Franz Jagerstatter

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark: A Visual Liturgy Lent Benediction Series

From the Creators:

"Introduction The Lenten season is well resourced, and so I trust you come with some awareness to the blessing of the upcoming 40 days. These films with music and lyrics by The Brilliance, contain rich imagery of the paradox of life and death, beauty and fragmentation.

They are the outer world’s symbology of what the terrain of our inner world often looks like. While we acknowledge that this includes apparent broken systems, relationships and human befallen-ness, we also want to say that all of this exists in the encompassment of God’s wholeness. This is a truth that is both heartbreaking and hopeful: It all must belong, because it exists.

Lent comes during a season of increasing light in our part of the world. It is this increase of light that we lean into for the courage to face fears both known and unknown, and for the energy to rise and live beyond death.

We hope this film series is a blessing. Although the work can be hard and daunting, we do not come to Lent to intentionally suffer, but to bring us to deeper oneness with Christ and remind us of who we are to be in and for the world."

These 5 minute or so films are more prayerful than didactic, so a little different than our usual videos. They'll be shown after the 8 and the 10. And we'll share some reflections on the imagery, words and music presented

We had some technical difficulties and the threat of last week's storm, so we will give it a try this Sunday after the 8 and 10

Jesus and Nicodemus Lauren Pitman

Jesus and Nicodemus Study by Tanner

The Collect

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Old Testament

Genesis 12:1-4a

The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him.

The Psalm

Psalm 121

Levavi oculos

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills; *

from where is my help to come?

2 My help comes from the Lord, *

the maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved *

and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.

4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel *

shall neither slumber nor sleep;

5 The Lord himself watches over you; *

the Lord is your shade at your right hand,

6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day, *

nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; *

it is he who shall keep you safe.

8 The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in, *

from this time forth for evermore.



The Epistle

Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.

For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.

For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) —in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Jesus and Nicodemus Tanner

Rev'd up for Sunday at St Mark's Episcopal

The Gospel

John 3:1-17

There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“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.

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the worl

Nicodemus helps take Jesus down from the cross Tintoretto

This week's self-guided retreat on Sunday's Scriptural theme