The Church Bell
Vol. 2, no. 3
March / April 2018
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Work Day - Saturday March 17
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Let's get both buildings and both grounds ready for a glorious Easter!
We will get together on Saturday morning, March 17th, 9:30 a.m.
We’ve put together a punch list of things we hope to accomplish:
-Finish painting both foundations
-Clean-out and re-organize kitchen cabinets
-Install new wood strips in the pew racks
-Wipe down all woodwork in the nave
-Change lightbulbs in overhead fixtures
-Trim shrubbery
-Fill holes in the open lot
-Relocate day lilies to the open lot
If you are unable to join us on Saturday, but want to tackle a project between now and Maundy Thursday, let Jarod know and we will plan accordingly.
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Journey’s End and The Beginning!
By the time you receive this issue of The Church Bell we will be well on our way to the end of our Lenten journey. In a weeks time we will be entering the most holy time of the Church year, Holy Week. As you may know, Holy Weeks begins with the reading of the Passion Gospel on Palm Sunday and ends on Holy Saturday, the eve of Easter.
The topic for my reflection this week is the three days at the end of Holy Week known has the Tridium. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. These three days represent perhaps the most important time of the Christian year. The last two days of our Lord Jesus’ earthly life, a time of holy transition. As it was for our Lord Jesus so it must be for us as well. We move from the austerity of our Lenten journey into a new way of living in and through the Risen life of Jesus. We look forward to rolling the stone from the emptiness of our lives and witness the new life offered us by God in and through his son Jesus Christ glorious Resurrection.
Maundy Thursday: Some [people call it Holy Thursday, others as Maundy Thursday. Maundy is not a common-used word or something you are likely to hear outside of Holy Week and in the context of Easter. Most scholars believe that “Maundy” comes from the Latin word
Mandatum from the verb
Mandare which means “commandment” In the context of Holy week it refers then, to the commandment Jesus gave to his disciple’s while washing their feet. (John 13:34-35)
“A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
This is why we wash feet on Maundy Thursday as a reminder of Jesus’ command to Love one another. Thus begins the Tridium.
Good Friday: After witnessing our Lord’s servant hood in the washing of his disciples feet we move then to the selfless act of his suffering and death upon the Cross. It is “Good” Friday because through the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, as terrible as it was, we see the culmination of God’s plan to save us from our sin and death.
Through the Cross we can experience the Resurrection. This is true in our lives as well. We must die before we can live again. Good Friday is God’s promise of redemption being fulfilled for the sake of the world. Good Friday marks the day when wrath and mercy meet at the Cross. That’s why God Friday is so dark and so Good.
Holy Saturday: Traditionally Holy Saturday is the day of the Great Vigil of Easter. On this day, through the reading of Holy Scripture, we hear the story of Gods acts of salvation on behalf of humanity. Time and time again we fall into sin and time and time again God restores us by his mercy and grace. On this day we renew our Baptismal commitment and covenant with God and as receive the Risen Lord Jesus into our lives.
Of course, there is more that can be said on the subject of the Tridium. Suffice it is to say that every Christian should endeavor to participate in the liturgies of these three days. By hearing the stories that unfold the events of our Lord’s Passion and Death, we are better prepared to experience the transforming love of God in our Lord’s Resurrection! As our journey ends, so it begins anew in the Risen life of Jesus!
God bless and keep you. See you in Church, I know you won’t want to miss the Good News!
Bishop Paul
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Looking Ahead to Maundy Thursday
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St. Agnes' will host the Community Maundy Thursday Service on March 29th at 6:00 p.m.
This will be a community-wide service sponsored by the various churches in the Cowan Ministerial Association.
As in the past, this service will have a larger than usual attendance. As the host congregation, we will make an extra effort to welcome and assist those who are visiting from other churches.
Please make a special effort to help folks find a place to sit and follow through the service. Keep in mind that some of our visitors are not familiar with the
Book of Common Prayer and are also not be familiar with our liturgical customs.
Our helpfulness as hosts will help everyone enjoy and benefit from this powerful recollection of the Last Supper in the Upper Room.
We will need assistance for the stripping of the altar. As the service draws to a close, we will ask the St. Agnes' parishioners to forward and slowly remove all ornamentation.
The service is a wonderful preparation for Easter. Hope to see you then!
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Since 2009 our church family has enjoyed Easter Sunday dinner together in the parish hall.
One reason for implementing Easter dinner was, at the time, many of our parishioners did not have family plans.
In recent years two positive things have happened: one, our church family has grown and, two, our families are starting to gather at home again for Easter dinner.
Mindful of those two variables, we have a new consensus about Easter dinner.
This year we will forgo our Easter Sunday dinner. We will add in its place a church-wide luncheon the very next Sunday, April 8
th. Then, we have a church-wide Sunday dinner on the Day of Pentecost/Whitsunday, on Sunday May 20
th.
This plan appears to have unanimous support among the parishioners. With gladness let us give it and try and see how it works out.
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Some Church Family Updates
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We received a card in the mail from
Kay McKenzie that reads:
"Concerning my father William Lee - Dear St. Agnes' Community, Thank you for your prayers and kind thoughts during my father's recent illness and passing. It means a lot to me. Your thoughtfulness has been a blessing and makes me feel welcome. My father lived a long, good, and mostly healthy life. He was a faithful believer. We can ask for little more. A good man!
God bless,
Kay (Lee) McKenzie"
Betty Haney gave us an update on her condition: She is still under the care of an oncologist and still wearing a port, but her blood count and other variables are improving along with her immune system. She enjoys phone calls and cards. Please keep her in mind for that: Betty and Benny Haney, 6175 Holders Cemetery Rd, Winchester, TN 37398. (931) 967-1966
Lee Glenn is finally back home and back in church! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Brian Masters, a parishioner at St. James’ Midway-Sewanee, has been on our prayer list for several months. We just got word that he is finished with his treatments, on the road to recovery, and back to work full time. Bless the Lord!
The church sent flowers to
Karen McCallie on her birthday with our thoughts and prayers. She sent a message to the church that reads in part: "Thank you for this beautiful birthday bouquet!! It brightened my day and brought a smile to my face...For the past several weeks I have not been doing well...Richard and I both have agreed that it is best that he drives me where I need to go...I am thankful for the doctors that I have. I do believe they are doing their best for me...I love my church family and you all remain in my prayers, and know that I miss you all very much.
Love always,
Karen"
Please consider sending Karen a card during the Easter season: Karen Barry McCallie, 1511 Modena Rd, Winchester, TN 37398
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Passion Week begins with Palm Sunday on March 25th. Our service on that day recalls Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The 11:00 service that day will begin in the parish hall with the procession of palms.
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March 29 - Maundy Thursday
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St. Agnes' will host the Community Maundy Thursday Service on March 29th, 6:00 p.m. Our speaker will be Rev. L.Z. Johnson. The service will include Holy Communion and a Foot Washing. The service will conclude with the stripping of the altar.
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March 30 - Good Friday Service of Solemn Collects
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Bishop Lambert will lead a service of Solemn Collects on Good Friday, March 30th, at 12 noon. The service recalls the crucifixion of the Lord on Calvary's Cross. The church bell will toll afterward.
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April 1 - Easter Sunrise Service
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The various Cowan churches will gather on Easter morning, April 1st, 6:30 a.m. at Cowan Montgomery Cemetery for an Easter Sunrise service. All invited to celebrate the discovery of the Empty Tomb and realization that Jesus is risen in glory!
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April 1 - Church Easter Egg Hunt
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We invite all of the young folks to enjoy a Sunday morning Easter egg hunt during the 10:00 Sunday school hour! The church Easter egg hunt at St. Agnes' was started by Mr. Robert Sloan over five decades ago. It's always a fun-filled time!
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April 1 - Easter Sunday Service
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Let's fill the house on Sunday, April 1st, at 11:00 a.m.! Be sure to invite friends, neighbors, and relatives to come and celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord! Be sure to stay afterward for our annual church family photo.
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Late Spring and Early Summer Birthdays
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April 7 -
anonymous parishioner
April 7 - Montana Smith
April 11 - Benny Haney
April 15 - Dane Leitzel
April 20 - Martin Odidi
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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- March 18 - Fifth Sunday in Lent - Holy Eucharist - Fr. Martin
- March 25 - Palm Sunday - Morning Prayer - Jarod
- April 1 - Easter Sunday - Holy Eucharist - Bp. Lambert
- April 8 - 2nd Sunday in Eastertide - Holy Eucharist - Bp. Lambert
- April 15 - 3rd Sunday in Eastertide - Morning Prayer - Nick
- April 22 - 4th Sunday in Eastertide - Holy Eucharist - Bp. Lambert
- April 29 - 5th Sunday in Eastertide - Holy Eucharist - Bp. Lambert
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Jeff Powers, Tammy and Victoria Keese, Larry Woodall, Sue Hill, Celeste Simmons, Diana Meeks, Carter Smith, Lee Glenn, Fran Perry, Joe Ed Williams, Fr. Stephen, 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 bless and commemorate Gary Boughton and Rev. Jonathan Clark who recently passed away.
We pray continually for Christians around the world in grave danger and for those in our armed services.
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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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