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Lent 5 Passion Sunday March 29, 2009
8:00 A.M. - HOLY EUCHARIST
Introit Psalm: 43 p. 384
Collect for Purity: p. 67
The Ten Commandments p. 68
Kyrie p. 70
Collect for Passion Sunday p. 148
Collect for Lent p. 138
Epistle p. 148
Gradual Psalm: 143:1-10 p. 513
Gospel p. 149
9:15 A.M. – MORNING PRAYER
First Lesson: Exodus 2:23- 3:20 (Page 50 in the pew Bible)
Psalm 77
Second Lesson: Mark 10:32-45 (Page 46 in the pew Bible)
10:00 A.M. - HOLY EUCHARIST
Introit Psalm– sung
Children’s Talk
The Litany p. 30
Collect for Purity: p. 67
Kyrie p. 70
Collect for Passion Sunday p. 148
Collect for Lent p. 138
Epistle p. 148
Gradual Psalm: 143:1-10 p. 513
Gospel p. 149
Creed p. 71
Hymn before Homily: 720 (Warfare)
Homily
Offertory Hymn: 128 (Walton)
Intercession
Confession, Absolution p. 77
Thanksgiving p. 78
Consecration p. 82
Hymns during Communion: 219 (Bread of Heaven
226 (Rockingham) 232 (St Agnes)
Lord’s Prayer p. 85
The Exhortation p. 90
Hymn: 540 (Hyfrydol)
Please join us for tea and coffee in the hall.
5:00 P.M. - EVENING PRAYER
First Lesson: Exodus 6:2-13 (Page 52 in the pew Bible)
Psalm 73
Second Lesson: Mark 15:23-39 (Page 54 in the pew Bible)
Layreaders
8:00 A.M. – Ian Hayre 9:15A.M – Bill Ross
10:00 A.M. – Keith Chapman
The Sanctuary Lamp burns this week to the Glory of God
and in Loving Memory of Alice & Frank Parker and George Douglas.
The Flowers on the Organ are to celebrate Sammy Shaw’s 100th birthday and in Loving Memory of Gordon Shaw.
“Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord,
and let light eternal shine upon them”
Marie-Anne Miller Kelsey Hooton Andrew Schroeder
Gail Stoddard Ken DeForest
Lenten Book Table: A table has been set up in the porch with books by the Rev. John Pearce of Brown’s Yard in KentCounty. Prices are marked in pencil on the inside of the cover. These are ‘down-to-earth’ and helpful for understanding the Bible and strengthening your faith in Christ.
Lenten Folders are available in the vestibule. If you wish to make a Lenten contribution without using the folders you may add Lent on the extra line on your envelope. Easter letters are available for pick up!
Easter Memorials - The Secretary will be leaving on vacation on April 6th. Therefore, if possible could you please place your flower memorials or Memorial Fund donations in memory of loved ones as soon as possible. Thank you!
Sign up sheets are in the Vestibule for the Maundy Thursday Watch.
The next St. Michael’s Club for children is set for this coming
Saturday from Saturday from 10 A.M. until noon. We will be
Preparing the palms for distribution on Palm Sunday.
Please note that, due to our Community Meal on Easter Sunday afternoon, there will be no breakfast this year between the 8 A.M and 10 A.M. Services. The Children’s Easter Egg Hunt, however will still be held after the 10 A.M. Eucharist.
‘Wok with Faith’ for girls is Middle School and High School will e held in the Hall this afternoon, beginning at 4:30 P.M. Bon appetite!
This Week in the Parish
The Daily Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer will be prayed in the Chapel at 8:30 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Monday – Friday, respectively. In addition:
Tuesday Bible Study at the Rectory 10:00 A.M.
Edith Cavell Music Club 3:00 P.M.
Wednesday Camden Terrace Eucharist 10.00 A.M
Holy Eucharist (in the Chapel) 7:00 P.M.
Reading Group 8:00 P.M.
Thursday Holy Eucharist 10:00 A.M.
Friday Stations of the Cross 7:00 P.M.
Saturday Easter Choir Practice 9:30 A.M.
Holy Week begins next Sunday with the blessing and distribution of
palms. Then, each evening from Holy Monday through Maundy
Thursday, the Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 7 P.M.
On Good Friday at 9:30 A.M.: the Way of the Cross. We will leave from City Hall and proceed to Saint George’s (Volunteers needed both
adults and children to carry the cross.)
10:00 A.M. Morning Prayer, Litany and Ante-Communion
5:00 P.M. Evening Prayer
Holy Saturday10:00 A.M. Morning Prayer
5:00 P.M. Evening Prayer
7:30 P.M. The Easter Vigil at St. Andrew’s
Easter Day 8:00 A.M. Holy Eucharist
10:00 A.M. Procession and Holy Eucharist
5:00 P.M. Evening Prayer
Thought for today: The Will of God never takes you where the Grace of God and not protect you.
The Rector's Corner
Finding Easter
At this time last year, Easter Sunday had long past -- it was on March 19th. Carolyn reminded me of this the other day. She remembered that Good Friday fell on St. Patrick's Day in 2008. I recall the debate; but, I have never understood the significance of the first full moon after March 21st. Why is it so important in finding Easter?
Well, first of all, let's begin at the beginning. The Easter Gospel from the 20th chapter of St. John tells us that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week: "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre." From then on, with great joy, the Church celebrated the Feast of the Resurrection; however, there was some question as early as the year 158 A.D. whether it should be observed according to the Jewish or the Gentile calendar. For example, the Christians in Asia, who claimed that the authority of their practice came from St. John the Apostle, celebrated Easter on the third day after the Jewish Passover (the 14th day of the month Nisan) whatever that day might be. On the other hand, the Western Churches celebrated it on the Sunday after the Passover, because Jesus rose on a Sunday.
In the year 314 A.D., at the Council of Arles, it was decided that Easter should be celebrated on the same day everywhere. And, at the Council of Nicaea in 352 A.D., the following rule was set forth:
1. That the 21st day of March be taken as the vernal equinox.
2.That the full moon happening upon (or next after) the 21st of March is to be taken for the full moon of the month Nisan.
3. That the next Lord's Day after that full moon is to be observed as Easter Day.
4. Unless the full moon happens upon a Sunday, when Easter is to be the next Sunday.
This was a great improvement; still, not everyone was in agreement. But is that surprising given our fallen human nature?
The interesting thing for me, is not the debate over the technical aspects of Church history and astronomy, but the significance of the full moon prior to Easter Day. St. Gregory of Nyssa, writing in the 4th century, gives a beautiful explanation which follows. As you read it, think of the images of darkness and light, and how in the Bible darkness is connected to sin, and light with God. In fact, Christ is called "the Sun of Righteousness". (Malachi 4:2)
When the length of the day begins to expand in winter-time, as the sun mounts to the upper
part of his course, we keep the feast of the appearing of the true Light Divine (i.e. Christmas),
that through the veil of flesh has cast its bright beams upon the life of men: but now when the
luminary has traversed half the heaven in his course, so that night and day are of equal length,
the upward return of human nature from death to life is the theme of this great and universal
festival (i.e. Easter), which all the life of those who have embraced the mystery of the Resurrection
unites in celebrating.
St. Gregory goes on to say that the Light of Christ "in our hearts should increase more and more so that the life which is in the light should be extended to the greatest length possible, being augmented by additions of good". He also points out that because Easter occurs when the daylight is equal to the night and still increasing, we are reminded "that we shall no longer fight with evils only upon equal terms, vice grappling with virtue in indecisive strife, but that the light of life will prevail". What a wonderful, yet simple, lesson for the Christian life!
Well, our space is almost gone; but just one more thing! Where did the name 'Easter' come from? Originally, the festival, which included the week before and the week after Easter Day, was called Pascha. This is derived from the Aramaic form of the Hebrew name for Passover. The name Easter is traceable (says the Venerable Bede) to the Christianizing of the name of a pagan gooddess Eostre, whose festival happened about the time of the vernal equinox. However, many language scholars believe that Easter is derived from an ancient Germanic word urstan which means 'to rise'. This makes sense to me since in Easter we find east -- the direction from which the sun rises! |