March 16. 2023 Holy Comforter | Newsletter | |
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A Strange Message Dearest Holy Comforter Family, Last week, Sherod flew down to Fort Lauderdale to visit our daughter. I stayed home to take care of our growing menagerie. I've come to cherish the occasions when I find myself home alone; last week was no different. Sherod left on Tuesday and would be back on Thursday. I went to bed on Wednesday night, both thrilled to have that king-sized bed to myself for one more night and so glad my sweetie was coming home the next day. I was tired and fell asleep very quickly. Then, shortly before midnight, I woke up with a start. There was a helicopter flying overhead that was going around and around in circles very close to my house. At certain points as it was circling, its spotlight would illuminate my room like it was daytime. I was scared out of my mind. Once before, when Sherod and I lived in South Florida, I woke up to a situation like this. The helicopter flying overhead that night was a police chopper that ended up hovering right next to our house because a fugitive had taken shelter in the playhouse in the backyard of our neighbor's property. Sherod was with me the first time, and we were in the middle of a densely populated urban area so even though it was scary, I had the reassurance that I wasn’t alone. On Wednesday night, I was all by myself, with acres separating me from our next neighbor. There were all kinds of places a fugitive could hide on our property and I knew for sure I was in big trouble. The best I could do was grab the bat Sherod made in high school, determined to go down fighting. Even after the helicopter left, the adrenaline of the moment kept me awake most of the night. The next morning, I found out a neighbor, A had had a massive stroke and what I’d heard was a medivac helicopter trying to find a place to land close to A’s house. A was declared brain dead the following morning; he’d self-identified as an organ donor so he was kept on life support until the following day and now, 3 recipients carry his gifts of life. He was a member of St. Paul’s in Lowndesboro, where Sherod is the priest in charge, so A will be buried there on Friday. I’ve watched my spouse work with a devastated family for the last few days, making plans for the funeral. I share all of this as a backstory for what follows. A’s family has had a really hard time of it planning for this last farewell—they have some ongoing issues that make decision-making hard and A’s wife is just devastated. That is not unusual—I’ve worked with many families in a similar situation. Every time, my thought has been, “it doesn’t have to be this way.” Doing “end-of-life planning” is never easy. All of us are convinced we have plenty of time to get to that. A and his wife, S certainly could not have imagined that they’d have dinner, watch some TV, and in less than 2 hours have life completely fall apart. Had they had ‘the conversation,’ had A been able to tell S, his wife, what hymns, what readings, what other things mattered for his funeral, he would have left a beautiful gift for his family, just as he left the gift of life to others. We have a funeral service planning worksheet here at Holy Comforter. I am available to help prepare it, and Diane will keep it safe until it is needed. Decisions are so much harder in the midst of deep grief. An hour or so of planning is all it takes. If you haven’t prepared one of these forms and given us a copy, I hope you will consider reaching out to Terri to get one to fill out and return to Diane. If you have questions or need to think through some of the details of a service that honors you, and even more important, provides comfort and consolation to your family, make an appointment and come see me. This is one of those small, beautiful, grace-filled gifts you can give yourself and those you love… With prayers for blessings of peace and quiet confidence in God’s abiding love, Rosa+ |
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Season of Lent & Holy Week Mar 21, 28 | Apr 4 Book Study & Discussion of "This Here Flesh" via Zoom Tuesdays, 7:00-8:00 pm Mar 22, 29 | Apr 5 Morning Prayer 10:30 AM (in the Chapel & live-streamed), Compline 8 PM (live-streamed FB) April 6 Maundy Thursday Liturgy & Stripping of the Altar, PM Apr 7 Good Friday Liturgy, 12 noon Apr 8 Holy Saturday Liturgy (in Memorial Garden, weather permitting), 9:30 am Apr 9 Sunday of the Resurrection Festal Eucharist, 10 AM |
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Moving Further into the Season of Lent Last week, the choir and altar party processed into our regular Sunday morning in silence and we did not sing the doxology. This Sunday, we will not have a hymn for the procession out of the service, and on the last Sunday before Holy Week, we will have no hymns at all. Why? Traditionally, reducing the music in our regular worship has been understood as a form of 'self-denial.' That's certainly one way to look at it. But there's more to this ancient practice. The silences open space for us all to listen, to pay attention to the still small voice of God's enduring love that so easily gets lost in the busyness of life, including worship. You have fewer pages to flip through, and only one book to manage. Time to imagine what 40 days in the wilderness might be like. And then, on Easter morning when the music and the alleluias rise again full of glory and joy, they are so, so welcome. Last week marked the midpoint of Lent. Now we retrace the final part of the path into Jerusalem. |
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Covenant Each year, the vestry prepares a covenant — a set of promises and commitments to each other and to our church. Our covenant says, "these are the things that matter for the leadership team of our church, these are the things we will do to ensure our work together is holy and fruitful. Below is a copy of this year's covenant. |
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Michigan Youth Group Dinner Remember that next Saturday morning (3/25) at 10:00 AM a group will gather to prepare a meal for some 80 people who will gather to honor the youth from Lansing, Michigan who are here to do a community service project. Setup for the dinner on Monday evening (3/27) will start at 4:30 and volunteers will be needed then as well. If you signed up on Sunday, you don't need to again. If you'd like to help and haven't signed up, there will be a sign-up sheet in the narthex. |
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Tending to our hearts & spirit |
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SUNDAYS Holy Eucharist |10AM |
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• Morning Prayer | 10:30AM Randy Woodland is the officiant • Compline | 8:30 PM |
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Events, programs & updates |
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Easter Flowers Let Terri know the names of your loved ones to be remembered on Easter. Please send your contribution in the amount of your choosing to Diane. |
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CPR & First Aid class | 11 AM, this Sunday, March 19 It is not too late, CPR & First Aid class, in McMaster Hall this Sunday. A light lunch will be provided as well. Thank you! Rosa+ |
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We will be weeding and planting in the Community Garden this spring and all summer, if you would like to help, contact Jean. |
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the Food Pantry is serving over 50 families weekly. Donations include all non-perishable food items and personal items: shaving cream/razors, deodorant, toilet paper, diapers, toothbrushes/paste, etc... Consider Volunteering this summer! Donations can be left in the bins outside McMaster Hall. |
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the Backpack program is currently packing food for 25 children, delivered weekly so they will have food over the weekends. We have a basket outside the front office window for donations. |
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Thank you for your support! |
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MARCH Birthdays & Anniversaries Watch over thy children O Lord, as their days increase; bless and guide them wherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand; comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall; and in their heart may thy peace which passeth understanding abide all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Birthdays Steven Speaks, Rick McKenzie, Rachel Moore, John Harrell, Andrew Gidiere, William Speaks, Dennis Endicott, David Guyette-Hard Anniversaries Dorothy & Andrew Gidiere |
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DATES to REMEMBER MARCH, APRIL — |
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Mar 21, 28 | Apr 4, 11, 18, 25 Food Pantry 10 AM | COT 5:30 PM Mar 21, 28 | Apr 4 Book Study & Discussion of “This Here Flesh” via Zoom, Tuesdays, 7:00-8:00 pm Mar 22, 29 | Apr 5 Morning Prayer 10:30 AM (in Chapel & live-streamed), Compline 8:30 PM (live-streamed FB) Mar 19 CPR & First Aid class, 11 AM Mar 26 Vestry Meeting, Sunday, 11 AM April 6 Maundy Thursday Liturgy & Stripping of the Altar, 6:00 PM April 7 Good Friday Liturgy, 12 noon April 8 Holy Saturday Liturgy (in Memorial Garden, weather permitting, 9:30 am) April 9 Sunday of the Resurrection Festal Eucharist, 10 AM April 29 Vestry Meeting, Saturday, 9:30 AM |
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VESTRY Senior Warden: Rand Neeley Junior Warden: Randy Bryan Treasurer: Mary Lois Monroe Clerk: Ann Montgomery Kathy Albree Randy Bryan Haynes Kelley Paul Hard Amy Seanor Hannah Williams |
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Please pray for Parishioners — Roger Brewer, Ann Carlton, Barbara Dailey, Rob Dailey, Fred Earle, Dennis Endicott, Sidney Hennessey, Jason Hicks, Lamar Higgins, Mac & Douglass Porter, Lea Russell, Claudene Thomas, Judith Granger Ward Friends — Tracey Bailey, John Conway, Jim Corsaro, Gay & Harry Curlin, Todd Daniels, Jayce Davidson, Mary DeShon, Casey Dodd, T. J. Esco, Julie Gantt, Linda Garrett, Rosine Hall, Alison Hill, Tom Hyde, JoAnn Ivey, Kyle Johnson, Sharon Kelley, Dorothy King, Jon Kusa, Jessica Morgan, Simon Morgan, John Nelson, Sharon M. Nelson, Nanette Olson, Liliana Orozco, Laura Pinnoy, Dusty Pouncey, Maggie Prestridge, Samuel Purcell & family, Arthur Segal, Joe Soliday, Riley Soliday, Taylor Scroggins, Michal Slovic, Isaiah Taylor, Paula White, Joe Wilkins, Patsy Wilkins, Ben Winbury Students — Matthew Franklin, Will Franklin, Addie Hoffman, Anna Hoffman, Sam Lee, Taylor McLemore, Michael Moore, Rachel Moore, Charles Speaks, Thomas Speaks, Aiken Via |
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