March 1, 2016
7:00 p.m.
Ash Wednesday Liturgy
Imposition of Ashes
Holy Eucharist
Ash Wednesday is one of the most solemn and significant events of the Church Year. It marks the beginning of Lent which is the period of preparation for Easter. The Preface for the Eucharistic Prayer in Lent puts it this way:
You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts and prepare with joy for the Paschal Feast, that fervent in prayers and in works of mercy, and renewed by your Word and Sacraments, they may come to the fullness of grace, which you have prepared for those who truly love you.
There is a lot here. The word “cleanse,” is also used in St. John’s Gospel in Jesus’ discourse on the True Vine where it means “pruning” “Every branch that does not bear fruit he cleanses, or prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” So you have the idea of getting rid of things that get in the way of our flourishing, or, “The glory of God is Man and Woman fully alive.” It is not a pleasant experience, particularly when the cleansing involves things deeply rooted and long standing. “Prepare with joy for the Paschal Feast,” that is get ready and anticipate and begin to live from the joy that comes to us at Easter. We’re getting ready for something wonderful, the most wonderful thing there is. “Fervent in Prayer and in Works of Mercy,” tells us that Lent is not just about “giving things up,” it’s about taking things on, good things like expressions of love for God in prayer, and love for one another in actions that are kind and compassionate. “Renewed by Word and Sacraments,” that is what they are for, and Lent is a time to focus deeply on that and receive all they offer. Finally, the “Fullness of Grace,” which is we are made ready to share fully all God wishes to bestow, which is his whole self to us.
Lent is not an easy season. We ponder what it is about us that makes it necessary for Jesus to lose his life and to lose it in the way he does. It’s not so much about listing our faults as acknowledging our afflictions, those we endure and those we perpetrate in what one writer has called, “the hell of self knowledge. Or as another writer has put it, Self knowledge is not attractive to everyone, and it pleasant for no one.” We can do that and believe it or not do it with joy because the Good News is that words of the imposition of ashes, Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return, are not the last word, but only the first and that Ash Wednesday leads us to Easter and our sharing in Christ’s Risen Life.
Secret Handshake Class Saturday, March 4 10:00 a.m. Parish Hall Living Room
This Saturday we will tie up loose ends and take a tour of the Church to see all the symbols in the architecture, vestments, altar ware, and anything else people are curious about. Anyone is welcome to join the tour and conversation.
Coffee Hour Sign Up March & April 2017
The Sign Up Sheet for Coffee Hour for the next two months will be by the urns of the Coffee Table outside Church on Sunday.
You can sign up by emailing into the Parish Office: coa@lafn.org
Church of the Angels Website Development
Photos during the Episcopal Visitation activities
As you may know, we're re-developing our website with the goal of making it easier for people to find out about us here at Church of the Angels. We're really excited about it -- and as we're updating the way the website looks, we wanted to take this opportunity to also update our photographs. So, on Sunday March 5th, we'll have a guest photographer (someone who worked with us on the drone footage we used on the .film website) who we'll be embedding in our congregation for a service. The goal will be to naturally capture who our congregation is. We're not trying to single anyone out -- instead, we're hoping to give an overall visual feeling of an open, welcoming, diverse and fun community of faith. We're all excited to see you there!"
Episcopal Visitation:
Sunday March 5
The First Sunday of Lent
We are privileged to have Bishop Diane Bruce with us on Sunday March 5. Bishop Diane is the Bishop Suffragan (Assisting bishop to our Diocesan Bishop Jon Bruno)
Schedule for Bishop Diane’s Visitation
7:45 a.m. Bishop Diane will celebrate and preach at the early service
9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m. Bishop Diane will meet in the Parish Hall Living Room with members of the Vestry, and Parishioners who help lead the various parish activities.
10:15 a.m. Bishop Diane will celebrate and preach and administer Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows.
Following the 10:15 Liturgy: Parish Potluck and Reception for Bishop Diane.
Rite of Confirmation etc. What exactly is this?
The Rite of Confirmation: If you were baptized as an infant, this is a chance to claim those promises for yourself. The bishop lays hands on you and asks for an increase of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that you received at baptism.
The Rite of Reception: If you were confirmed or some sort of adult recognition in another Christian body, you can be received into the Episcopal Church. The bishop offers you a welcome.
The Rite of Renewal: If you are baptized and confirmed, and simply want to renew these promises, the bishop has a special prayer for you.
We have 3 people being Confirmed: Evelyn Askew, Jesse Clemens, and Ellie Navarro.
We have one person being Received: Julia Livingstone
The Rite of Renewal is open to anyone who would like a special blessing from the bishop as a way to renew and reaffirm your Christian commitment. If you would like to participate in this, please let Fr. Bob know, so he make you a name tag and introduce you to Bishop Diane.
Parish Potluck Following the Service
The weather has not cooperated the last two Sundays making it difficult to get sign ups for the Potluck.
Here is where we stand so far.
Appetizer: Need 7
Salad/Vegetable Dish Mary Matyseck, Donna Barry Need 5
Pasta Dish Ellie Navarro Need 6
Main Course One sign up but no name Need 10
Dessert Kris Hillary, Ellie Navarro, Sue Tutt Need 4
Beverages Ellie Navarro Need 3
From the List you can see the things we need. Please jump in with something.
Das Boot: Working on the Boat that is Church of the Angels
Or Why it would be nice if everyone comes to Church This Sunday
The first picture shows mysterious water on the floor of the Church basement on Sunday morning. Was it from the rain? Did the sump pump fail?
After looking awhile, one of the values that feeds the faucet in the basement sink and the Coffee maker was leaking like crazy. Fr. Bob took if off and got a new part from the hardware store down the street.
Value is now replaced. Took two times, needed some pipe putty to keep from leaking plus replacing the copper tube for the coffee maker filter with a flexible one.
All of which is why it would be really good for everyone to come to Church on Sunday for the Episcopal Visitation.
Below: Church of the Angels in Botswana
Request to the Diocese of Los Angeles: Can you send a priest who knows how to fix things?
Emmaus Road Monday, March 6, 7:00 p.m.
Emmaus Road continues its reading of Teilhard de Chardin and the Mystery of Christ. This is a book that explores the thought, theology, and spirituality of Fr. Teilhard de Chardin, a Jesuit priest of the 20th Century who was also a paleontologist who made major discoveries of early humans. Fr. Teilhard sought to integrate the discoveries of science with the deepest things of the Christian faith. While forbidden to publish while he was alive, after his death, his books were published and found a wide audience. Some have said that his spirit hovered over the renewal of the Second Vatican Council. The book is available on Amazon, but it’s out of print and so while used copies are available, they take a while to get here.
Fr. Bob has made copies of the Chapter 2, to tide us over until the books arrive. Copies will be available on Sunday
Outreach Committee: Thank You for the Books!
Thank you to everyone who donated hardcover books during February for the
library at Suubi School in Uganda. Our book collection is now 43 books more
enhanced!
For those of you who are planning to "make someone's life better" for Lent, we
invite you to give the gift of literacy to the students at Suubi school by
donating new of gently used books to the Church of the Angels and we will
process them and get them ready to send.
For Lent, we have given you the complete wish list for the library. It can be
found at:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/1A2GVA0B5MPYA/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2
The books are not in any order.
Your gift will help all of the students for many years to come. Thank you!