|
|
|
A Christian community of all ages
grounded in
worship, well-being, and service.
| |
|
From the Associate Rector
Dear Friends,
We have entered the season of Lent, a stretch of 40 days (not including Sundays!) leading up to Easter where we are invited to examine our lives and consider the ways that we may have strayed from God. During this holy season we are reminded of God’s tremendous love for us and invited to repent - or return - to a deepened relationship with God.
This season is 40 days in length because it imitates the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness after his baptism. We will hear this story from the gospel of Luke this weekend in our worship. The gospel offers a few brief sentences about Jesus’ time in the wilderness, and the temptation he encounters from the devil.
A couple of years ago I came across the video I’ve linked for you here today. The video is made up of a series of drawings by British illustrator Simon Smith, where he imagines what some of those moments might have been like for Jesus. There is one drawing for each day he spent in the wilderness. In some
| |  |
|
of the drawings we see the temptation that we hear about in the gospel. But in other drawings we see the range of experiences Jesus might have had during that time, including exploration, loneliness, fear, playfulness, care and peace. No spoilers, but what I find most fascinating in this video is how the artist depicts the devil.
What might this season hold for you? How can you set apart time and space to travel through the wilderness in order to visit with God? How will you grapple with temptation, and how will you let the angels tend to you during this time?
I look forward to exploring these questions with you in this holy season.
Peace,
Meaghan
| | |
On Saturday, March 8 before you go to bed be sure to . . . | |
Highlights
in the
Coming Weeks
| |
Weekly worship services in the
Historic Church:
Saturday at 5:00 p.m. and
Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Lenten events are in purple.
| |
|
Wednesday, 3.12 -- Lenten book discussion, 4:00 p.m., Southside Studio, Parish House. Details below.
Thursday, 3.13 -- Soup Kitchen, St. Paul's UMC. For details and to signup to help, use this link.
Sunday, 3.16 -- Episcopal Beliefs and Practices, after 10:00 service, St. George's Chapel. Details below.
Wednesday, 3.19 -- Family Dinner, St. George's Chapel, Parish House. For details and to RSVP online.
Sunday, 3.23 -- Episcopal Beliefs and Practices, after 10:00 service, St. George's Chapel. Details below.
Wednesday, 3.26 -- Lenten book discussion, 4:00 p.m., Southside Studio, Parish House. Details below.
| |
|
Click on the image above for the weekly bulletin.
Liturgical ministers for Saturday at 5:00 and Sunday at 10:00 are listed in the bulletin except for Saturday, 1.11.
| | |
|
Worship on Sundays at 10:00 is live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. Use the comment section to say hello if you use Facebook. We are trying to make better connections between those who are in person and those who are at home.
If you miss worship on Sunday and just want to hear the sermon, you can listen to it online.
Prayer requests for individuals can be added to the prayers of the people on Sunday mornings and in the daily evening prayers by contacting Parish Administrator, Karen Laroche. We typically keep people in the prayers for one month.
| |
|
Thank you to . . .
Katie and Allan Shaffer for hosting Bites and Beverages on March 1. Katie also shared her recipe for delicious gluten-free almond cupcakes.
The Mardi Gras theme was very appropriate for the evening. Connor Pratt had the baby in the King Cake, which Katie had made. Will he bring the King Cake next year?
If you'd like to host Bites and Beverages, we still need hosts in April and June. Please signup online if you'd like to host.
| |
|
and to . . .
all who made the Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner possible.
To the food crew: Harry and Mattie Gustafson, Allen Shaffer, Don and Sarawyn Berrett, David Laroche, Andrew Gustafson, Patti Cofield, Christine Winslow, Sheila Collins, Karen Stevenson, and Christopher Fleischmann.
To the game crew: Sarah Barker and Meaghan Brower.
| |
|
And congratulations to the 2025 Pancake Games
Golden Spatula Winners!
| |
|
Lenten Book Group
Join Jenny Williams and The Rev. Meaghan Brower on Wednesday afternoons at 4:00 p.m. in Lent for a book group on An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor.
Discussions will be in the Southside Classroom in the Parish House on March 12, 26, April 2, 9, and 16.
We will discuss the first two chapters of the book this coming Wednesday.
| |
|
Watch the March 2nd class on Church History above.
Interested in learning more about the beginning of the Anglican Church? Check out the PBS series Wolf Hall!
| |
|
Episcopal Beliefs and Practices
Join Jennifer and Meaghan over six Sundays to learn more about the Episcopal Church. This course will be informative and fun for any and all people at St. Mary's, and is specifically offered for people considering confirmation or reception in the Episcopal Church. If you missed the first class you can watch it online (left). An outline of the class information is also available here.
Upcoming dates for class are March 16, 23, 30, and April 6. Our worship services on March 22 and 23 will include an Instructed Eucharist.
| |
Communication & Other Announcements | |
Have an announcement?
Please use this form to digitally share information about your ministry. This enables those who are working on the eNews, website, and Facebook (and other social media) to have the information in one place and accessible to everyone who needs it. The deadline for publication in eNews is noon on Wednesday before publication on Friday. If you have questions, please contact website@smcportsmouth.org.
| | | | |
