The Church Bell
Vol. 2, no. 4
April / May 2018
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5th Sunday Gospel Sing on April 29th
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Cowan Ministerial Association will hold a 5th Sunday Gospel Sing on April 29th, 6:00 p.m. at Cowan Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Bring your voice and instrument and join with songs of thankfulness and praise.
Cowan C.P. Church is located at 206 West Cowan Street. Hope you can join us!
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National Day of Prayer on May 3rd
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Cowan First Baptist Church will host a National Day of Prayer gathering on Thursday, May 3rd. Breakfast will be served between 6 and 6:30 a.m. and the prayer service will begin at 6:30 a.m.
We hope you can join in prayer for our nation and her witness to the world!
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The Great Fifty Days of Easter
We have just celebrated the Third Sunday of Easter and continue our journey to the Day of Pentecost May 20, 2018. But I would venture to guess that most of us have moved beyond Easter Day and have not really given much thought to the idea that Easter is more than “one” day in the calendar and that in truth, Easter is Fifty Days. Yes that’s right, Fifty Days we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But why you might ask.
To begin, the great Festivals of the Christian Year are not only the commemorations of events that happened in the life of our Lord a long time ago, but they are also opportunities for the present and promises for the future. For example, when we celebrate Christmas each year we are not just remembering the birth of Christ in Bethlehem; but we are trying, at the same time, to make room in the inns of our own lives in order that something of his grace and love might be born there. On Good Friday we do not just commemorate the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, but we literally try to join him on his cross, and to nail there our own selfish will and desires.
Likewise, on Easter we are not just celebrating the resurrection of Christ and saluting the empty tomb. We are also trying to expose the tombs which we have made for our own lives to the incandescent power of God, in order that we might roll away some of the stones which we have placed there. Easter is a day of hope for the present and for the future because Easter is strictly God’s doing. At Christmas God had the loving obedience and willing assistance of the Virgin Mary. On Good Friday the fear and evil and the complicity of sinful man was involved. But on Easter there was no one but God. Our lord was dead, sealed in the tomb, and any possibility of his rising to life again rested entirely in God’s hand.
This is why we celebrate the Great Fifty Days of Easter to internalize the wonderful depth of Gods love for us in the raising of his Son. In this event God acts decisively to capture our hearts and souls for is redeeming work. Easter is to define our lives and actions not just for one day, not just for Fifty Days, but for our entire lives. And to top it all off, God will send his power upon us to continue the work he began in Christ.
The Season of Easter is our opportunity to roll away the stones of from the tombs we have made in our lives that prevent us from experiencing God’s grace and mercy of God. As we do this his Holy Spirit will begin to shine in the darkness of our lives and reveal to us the Good News which is ours in Jesus Christ!
God bless and keep you all.
Bishop Paul
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Whitsunday / The Day of Pentecost - May 20th
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As Bishop Lambert mentioned above, the Great 50 days of Eastertide will conclude on the Day of Pentecost. also known as Whitsunday.
We will hold a festival service that day with the altar adorned in red to symbolize the "Tongues as of Fire" mentioned in the Book of Acts.
We encourage everyone to
wear something red
when you come to church that day to add to the celebration.
Whitsunday / the Day of Pentecost recalls the church receiving the power of the Holy Spirit to carry to good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit continually renews, refreshes, and empowers the church of yesterday, today, and in the days ahead.
Alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world: O come let us adore him. Alleluia.
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Commencement Luncheon on May 20th
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Immediately following our 11:00 service on Whitsunday, the church family at St. Agnes' will hold a Commencement Luncheon in the parish hall.
We will celebrate with Nick, Father Martin, Fuma, and Sinclair who will all receive degrees from Sewanee's School of Theology.
Likewise we will celebrate Pearson Garner's graduation from Franklin County High School.
Join us for a great time of fellowship!
Sadly, we must mention that
this will be our last official Sunday
with the Caccese family and with the Ender family. The Ender's will be returning to Iowa and the Caccese's will be returning to Virginia..
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Late Spring and Early Summer Birthdays
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May 2 - Ella Grissett
May 9 - Carla Wilson Money
May 11 - Steve Pearson
May 31 - Kathleen Black
June 7 - Linda Milligan
June 9 - Gene Black
"O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on thy servants as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
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- April 29 - 5th Sunday in Eastertide - Morning Prayer - Jarod
- May 6 - 6th Sunday in Eastertide - Holy Eucharist - Bp. Lambert
- May 13 - 7th Sunday in Eastertide - Morning Prayer - Jarod
- May 20 - Day of Pentecost/Whitsunday - Holy Eucharist - Fr. Martin
- May 27 - Pentecost I / Trinity Sunday - Holy Eucharist - Bp. Lambert
- June 3 - Pentecost II - Holy Eucharist - Bp. Lambert
- June 10 - Pentecost III - Holy Eucharist - Bp. Lambert
- June 17 - Pentecost IV - to be determined
- June 24 - Pentecost V - Morning Prayer - Jarod
- July 1 - Pentecost VI - Holy Eucharist - Bp. Lambert
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Royana Stewart, Montana Smith, Kurfees Boswell, Patsy Rigsby, Pamela Hicks, Tammy and Victoria Keese, Larry Woodall, Sue Hill, Celeste Simmons, Diana Meeks, Carter and Judy Smith, Lee Glenn, Fran Perry, Joe Ed Williams, Lamar Davis, Kirkland Leonard, Jimmy Moss, Bill Keller, Howard Gene Eslick, Karen Piper, Benny and Betty Haney, Linda Milligan, Karen McCallie, and Subamma (our sponsored child).
We pray continually for Christians around the world in grave danger and for those in our armed services.
We bless and commemorate Mrs. Vera Hinshaw and Mrs. Regina Wilkinson who recently passed away.
We join our nation in remembering Mrs. Barbara Bush who recently passed away.
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"O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayer, and grant to your servants the help of your power, that their sicknesses may be turned into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
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Sunday Service
....................................11:00 a.m.
Sunday School .....................................10:00 a.m.
Location/Address: 105 England Street E., PO Box 356, Cowan, TN 37318
Telephone: (931) 636-6313
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The Rt. Rev'd Paul Lambert...............................Pastor and Celebrant
The Rt. Rev'd John C. Bauerschmidt................Bishop
The Venerable Martin Odidi...............................Visiting Priest
Nicholas Caccese..............................................Resident Seminarian
L. Jarod Pearson................................................Lay Reader
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