The Good News Daily can be found here: Good News Daily for the Week of March 8, 2015
Rector's Ramblings It has been a long and busy week, and unfortunately there was not a lot of time to sit and compose a ramblings for this week. So, in lieu of my writing, I submit one of my favorite quotes about the Crucifixion for your meditation. ..."It is not fair to wish to taste only of my honey, and not the gall. If you wish to be perfectly united with me, contemplate deeply the mockery, insults, whippings, death and torments that I endured for you."-- Blessed Margarita, disciple of St. Umiltà, 14th Century Wishing you a Holy Lent, Dave+ Remember that my library is open if you wish to borrow a book for Lent. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Service Schedule for the week of March 8, 2015 Holy Eucharist Rite I (Spoken) 7:30 AM Holy Eucharist Rite II (Music) 10:00 AM Evensong 5:00 PM Other Services: Morning Prayer Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 7 AM Thursday morning at 7:30 AM Intercessory Prayer Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at noon in the Chapel For Lent Stations of the Cross at 5:30 PM Fridays ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ministry Links St. Matthew's Webpage [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=erb9hltab.0.0.unte9odab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stmatthewsbloomington.org] The Episcopal Diocese of Springfield [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=erb9hltab.0.0.unte9odab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=http%3A%2F%2Fepiscopalspringfield.org] Rector's Blog [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=erb9hltab.0.0.unte9odab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=http%3A%2F%2Ftheologicalhumidor.com] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Good News A weekly newsletter of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church March 6, 2015 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spring Time Change Sunday, March 8, remember to re-set clocks at 2 AM Spring ahead one hour. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Morning Prayer Morning Prayer is offered at 7AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and at 730 AM on Thursday. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome This Sunday we will welcome visitors from First United Methodist confirmation class at our 10AM Celebration of the Eucharist. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Breakfast Fellowships Women's & Men's Breakfast fellowships will eat jointly and to meet on Saturday (3/21) at 8:15 AM. All men of the church are invited. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Volunteer at MIDWEST Food Bank We will be volunteering at Midwest Food Bank on Monday, March 9th from 6:00-8:00. Please join us for this fun and rewarding outreach opportunity! For more information, please contact Chrissy Stoffer at 663-6450 (home) or 735-2161 (work). Hope to see you there! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Outreach Items of the Month During the months of March and April, the Outreach Committee will collect items on the Wish List for the Countering Domestic Violence (CDV) emergency shelter program in McLean County. Operated through Mid Central Community Action, CDV offers free and confidential services to victims of domestic violence, including a 24-Hour Hotline 309- 827-7070, 24-hour emergency shelter, criminal justice advocacy, legal advocacy and safety planning. The following items are currently needed for the shelter (Neville House): * Paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, boxes of tissue) * Hats/Gloves (snow/cold weather types for both adults and children) * Socks (all sizes) * Gift/Gas cards (increments of $25 are more flexible) * Cleaning Supplies/Products * Journals The Outreach Committee appreciates your ongoing support of this program. For more information about the services provided by CDV, visit: http://www.mccainc.org/clarion_rocket/programs/countering-domestic-violence/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Good News Daily Each week we are glad to offer a set of daily devotional readings from the Bible Reading Fellowship. These are short devotionals include references to the readings from the Daily Office Lectionary, and can be customized for each parish. Currently, we are adding the Anglican and Diocesan prayer cycles, and will be adding a parish prayer cycle in the future. Copies may be picked up in one of the entrances, a PDF uploads to the website (www.stmattsblm.org [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=erb9hltab.0.0.unte9odab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stmattsblm.org]) each Sunday, or get it today here [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=erb9hltab.0.0.unte9odab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=https%3A%2F%2Ffiles.ctctcdn.com%2F4bd42add001%2Fd2971dd6-1f56-47c7-a187-8f4fd1e4fdfe.doc]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stations of the Cross Stations of the Cross will be held each Friday evening in Lent beginning at 5:30 PM. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Youth Group Youth meet on Sunday nights following Evensong at 5:00 p.m. A lite meal, study and fellowship are provided ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lenten Reflections We will use the Good New Daily as our Lenten Reflections this year. However, if you are interested in another option, we recommend the Nashotah House Lenten Reflections which can be found online here [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=erb9hltab.0.0.unte9odab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nashotah.edu%2Flenten-meditations] or ordered via Amazon [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=erb9hltab.0.0.unte9odab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.createspace.com%2F5257146]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lenten Series Our Lenten Soup, Salad and Study series will kick off on Tuesday, February 24 and run through the Tuesday in Holy Week. We will gather at 6:00 for a light supper and finish by 7:30. This year, since we read the Gospel of Mark in the Eucharistic Lectionary, we will explore this Gospel with the help of Rico Tice a priest in the Church of England. All ages are invited to fellowship and study together. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Volunteers Needed on Sunday Mornings Greeters--Additional volunteers are needed to be greeters, at both services. Please let Pat know, in the office (info@stmatthewbloomington.org or 662-4646) if you are available, and which service time. Are you interested in serving as a Eucharistic Minister at 7:30, 10:00, or special services? Please speak with Fr. Halt about training and preparation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Formation Opportunity N.T. Wright, former Bishop of Durham and current lecturer at the University of St. Andrew's, is presenting as series of online courses in Christian Theology and Biblical Studies. The list of courses and their timelines is available at NT Wright online [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=erb9hltab.0.0.unte9odab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ntwrightonline.org%2F]. Fr. Halt is planning on joining the course on Paul and the Galatians, and if anyone else is interested in forming a study group, he would be glad to facilitate the gatherings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Readings & Music for March 8, 2015 Hymns: #574, #318, #685 Exodus 20:1-17 OT 51 Then God spoke all these words: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work-- you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Psalm 19 Page 606, BCP Caeli enarrant 1 The heavens declare the glory of God, * and the firmament shows his handiwork. 2 One day tells its tale to another, * and one night imparts knowledge to another. 3 Although they have no words or language, * and their voices are not heard, 4 Their sound has gone out into all lands, * and their message to the ends of the world. 5 In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; * it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber; it rejoices like a champion to run its course. 6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again; * nothing is hidden from its burning heat. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect and revives the soul; * the testimony of the LORD is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent. 8 The statutes of the LORD are just and rejoice the heart; * the commandment of the LORD is clear and gives light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean and endures for ever; * the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, * sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb. 11 By them also is your servant enlightened, * and in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can tell how often he offends? * cleanse me from my secret faults. 13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me; * then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, * O LORD, my strength and my redeemer. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 NT 127 The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. John 2:13-22 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ministry Assignments for March 8 & 15 8-Mar 7:30 Greeters: Doug & Dede Dyson Lector: Mona Johnstone E.M.: Diane Gardner 10:00 Greeters: Lector: Ann Sokan Acolytes: Alex Davingman, Christian Pitts, Alley Roberson Crucifer: Brent Baughan E.M.: Bob Kohlhase & Robin Levine Monday Counter: Gary McGinnis Coffee Hour: Baughans 15-Mar 7:30 Greeters: Ray Durham Lector: Bill Johns Lector: E.M.: Bill Johns 10:00 Greeters: Dedee Champion & Brad Bauman Lector: Julie Bennett Acolytes: Liam Halt, Christian Pitts, Alley Roberson Crucifer: Sarah Halt E.M.: Jack Pitts & Monday Counter: Susan Clark Coffee Hour: Susan & Jeffrey Clark ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Birthdays & Anniversaries March 6 - 15 Jane Shadid Diane Wuesthoff Doug & Dede Dyson George Dyson Roger Hunt Craig Matsuda Geraldine Vollbracht Janet Johnson Ora Bachmann Lartha Lakin Roy Laws ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Collect for Sunday, March 8th Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~