April 23, The Second Sunday of Easter

Need some help on Sunday

We’re looking for people to host coffee hour this coming Sunday at both services.  It’s simply a matter of bringing a snack for people to share.  The coffee is made ahead of time.  At the 10:15 service, the Coffee Hour hosts help with serving and also taking down after the Coffee Hour is over.

 Emmaus Road  Monday, April 24, 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 20^th Century who was also a paleontologist who made major discoveries of early humans who sought to  sought to integrate the discoveries of science with the deepest things of the Christian faith. 

 Fr. Bob has made copies of the Chapter 4, to tide us over until the books arrive.   Copies will be available on Sunday

 Reading for Monday:  Chapter 4, Part 2

The Financial Page

We will be sending out the statements of your giving to Church of the Angels for the First Quarter ending March 30.  Please check it over.  If there are errors, which can sometimes creep in during data entry, we are happy to correct them. 

 Sending out giving statements each quarter is to assist you in remaining current with your pledge.  If necessary, please catch up. 

 We appreciate everyone’s giving and support of our parish life.

Das Boot:  Working on the Boat that is Church of the Angels

 Hi Father Bob,

 Yesterday I finished the first stage of the restoration of the bell tower equipment.  I thought I'd start with the bell wheel itself because it's the most susceptible to weather damage. 

 First, I tightened the bolts and stripped off the existing finish.  Then, the holes and cracks were filled to prevent moisture from penetrating and causing any internal rot in the joints.  Lastly, several coats of a semi-transparent exterior finish was applied to seal the wood.  It has an 8 year guarantee, but I think it should last longer because it is intended for decking with complete sun and rain exposure and the wheel is far more protected.

 In addition, I scrubbed off all the bird poop from the bell itself.  While I was working, I caught another bird and found another dead bird in the bell tower enclosure, so I think one of my hole filler pieces has fallen out or I missed a spot.  My next step will be to paint the metal bell supports and hammer and I'll look for the bird entry point then.

 Thanks,

 Eric   

Food For Thought

There were many interesting article in the Press this Easter about Christianity and since Passover was so close, Judaism as well.  It was a refreshing change from the normal fare of things like, Jesus had a wife and family from another planet, and his secret identity was Clark Kent. 

 On the Food For Thought Table on Sunday, three articles from The Wall Street Journal.

 1.  The Profound Connection Between Easter and Passover.  The author, a Roman Catholic married to a Jewish person and who celebrates both Passover and Easter reflects on the amazing affirmation of faith in the triumph of life over death in both celebrations.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-profound-connection-between-easter-and-passover-1492173908

2.  The Rule of Law is Enough For Us.   This article explores how the Rule of Law is a bulwark against tyranny and how that understanding goes all the way back to the giving of the Jewish Law to Moses after the Exodus.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-rule-of-law-is-enough-for-us-1491951670

 3.  China’s Great Awakening.  The Chinese government is coming to realize that you can’t instill virtue in your citizens by top-down personal improvement programs, but rather this depends on a sense of the transcendent that only religious faith can give, and how millions in China are seeking and embracing not only traditional Eastern religions, but also Christianity.   By some estimates there are now 60 million Protestant Christians in Mainland China. 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-great-awakening-1491951335

Please Note:   The online links given for each article might not give you the whole thing.  The Wall Street Journal often wants you to subscribe in order to read the whole thing.  The hard copies will be outside Church on Sunday.