• Fr. David's Message 
• Senior Warden Message
• Community Engagement
• Upcoming Events

Next Sunday’s Readings

Last week’s Gospel reading gave us the story of Nicodemus and his winding, uncertain path from skepticism to faith. This week we get the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. She goes from prejudice (the Samaritan’s and Jews didn’t like each other much) to sarcasm to wonder to a faith so strong that the calls all the people of her village to come and meet Jesus. Like Nicodemus, hers is a convoluted path to get to know and trust Jesus. She met Jesus at the common well in the heat of the day. You can meet Jesus too. We still find him and we still encounter him in unexpected ways.

Read Next Sunday’s Lessons here.

Last Sunday’s Sermon:The Nicodemus Way

Nicodemus just doesn’t get it. How can we be born again after we are old? And yet, by the end of the Gospel Nicodemus is one of the people who brings spices to anoint Jesus’s body. He struggles to understand, and then he does. He understands and he has faith. He encounters God. That’s inspiring. Nicodemus can give us hope. Check out this week’s sermon for a message about the long, winding road to faith and love: The Nicodemus Way.

I have launched a new web site for my blog, writings and sermons. The link below will take you to this site. You can now subscribe to the St. Dunstan’s weekly Sermon as a Podcast through the iTunes online store. Here is a link to the Podcast:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id424733629

Listen to Last Sunday's Sermon Here.

The Message

There is a lovely white church located in the middle of Whidbey Island and right next to the main highway. They have a lighted reader board in the front and I always look forward to reading what is on it. Sometimes there is humor, sometimes it announces a memorial, sometimes a celebration. There is always something of interest.

Last Thursday, we went up to the island to spend a couple of days at our summer home and as we drove by the little white church, I read their reader board. It affected me very deeply and I want to pass it on to you. It read: “May our world be healed.” There is such a deep meaning in this statement and I have given a great deal of thought to it. Our world has been hit with earthquakes, tsunamis, wars, floods, and the list goes on.

We can do something to help in all of this chaos. At the candlelight prayer vigil last week, we came together to pray and people left donations for Japan. There are many of us involved in the Food Bank and in support of the Red Cross. Each and every one of us has something that we can do, and something that we can give. Please search your heart and be a blessing to others. Let us all walk in Christ’s love and forgiveness, and reach out to others. The need is so great, and you have so much to offer.

May our world be healed, and with God’s help, and ours, perhaps it will.

Blessings,
Mary E. Pacher
  

Family Game Night and Auction!  The Vestry is planning a game night for family, friends, and the greater community. We will have refreshments, auction items and games galore. Please take a look at our poster in the Narthex on the table at the Vestry Corner describing auction categories. We need your help! It takes a community not just a committee to make our event a success. Contact the Stewardship Committee with any questions: Diana Rall at dtoshiba@comcast.net ; Don Riccardo at dtriccardo@gmail.com or Tom Paulson at fleeketpooh@gmail.com

Register for Summer Camp at Camp Huston today!

Forgive Me for I am Badly Wired

Here we are in Lent, a season of penitence and preparation. Traditionally people have engaged in repentance and restoration during Lent. We look into our souls and ask, how have I fallen short of God’s purpose for my life? How have I hurt others by my action or inaction? Who do I need to forgive?

I think it is fair to ask why? Why should we look for our shortcomings? Why should we look for the ways we have built up barriers to love and relationship? I would venture to say that most people do not think of themselves as sinners in need of repentance and forgiveness.

In a curious, even amusing way, our attempt to install new ovens in the church’s kitchen offers a great illustration of the need for and the benefit of the work of repentance and forgiveness. The St. Agnes Guild generously replaced our 50-year-old ovens last month. When we finally got the monstrously heavy old ovens (they were also full of asbestos) out of the church and the new ovens in we discovered a wiring nightmare. There were bare, hot wires exposed inside a breaker box. There was a junction box by the floor with two electrical circuits and the box was not waterproof or even sealed against mop water.  

We have each walked through that kitchen countless times without knowing of the potential dangers. As soon as the problems were identified they were fixed, of course. If we hadn’t looked at the wiring to install the new ovens we would still be ignorant of the situation.

Sometimes we have to take a critical look at our lives. When we hold onto resentments, grudges, anger, or even envy, it is as if we had a bare wire just waiting to cause problems. Have you ever found yourself getting unexpectedly angry with someone? When we hold onto anger and resentment those feelings tend to be expressed at un-chosen and less than ideal times.

The Lenten practices of self-reflection, repentance, and forgiveness allow us to deal with those bare wires so we don’t get or give an unexpected or unintended shock. Forgiving someone saves you and him or her from the shock of encountering anger at a later time.

We do this work during Lent so that we will be ready for RESURRECTION!!! Easter is coming! Forgiving your brother or your neighbor or your coworker now frees you to be more fully and joyfully present to the wonder and joy of Christ’s resurrection. We are getting ready for new life! We are preparing ourselves to participate, share in, and enjoy resurrection life.

Your brother in Christ,

The Rev. David Marshall

Click here to respond to this posting in my blog.
 

Community Engagement

Greenwood Food Bank participating in the Feinstein Challenge!  Please plan to join Alan Shawn Feinstein for the 14th consecutive year in giving away $1 million to hunger fighting agencies nationwide. For every dollar or pound of food Volunteers of America can raise through April 30th, the Feinstein Challenge will match it with a dollar. The potential exists to have up to $35,000 matched. This is an amazing opportunity to double the food and funds coming into the Greenwood Food Bank.  Next time you go to the grocery store, please consider picking up some healthy food items for our less fortunate neighbors. Bring your donations and place them in the food box in the narthex. Cash donations are also welcome. Make your checks payable to St. Dunstan's with a notation for the Food Bank- Feinstein Challenge. Thank you for your support!

The Youth Group will again be participating in the nationwide "30 Hour Famine" on April 29 and 30th.  The "30 Hour Famine" , powered by World Vision,  is a leading Christian ministry serving nearly 100 million people in need. The Youth Group will be without food for 30 hours, beginning at noon on Friday and ending on Saturday at 5 pm. Their expectation is to raise awareness of hunger in the world. We ask you prayers for the youth and the success of their participation. 

During the "30 Hour Famine", the Youth Group will be hosting Compline, a solemn prayer vigil candlelight service, 9 hours into their 30 hour fast. The Youth will be centering the prayers on raising "hunger awareness".  Please join them for this special service on Friday, April 29 at 9 pm at St. Dunstan's Church.

When the Youth Group finishes the "30 Hour Famine", they will be hungry, but they won't be the only ones being fed!  The Youth Group will be hosting a Soup Dinner and Variety Show on Saturday, April 30th at 5 pm. Bring your talents, friends, and appetite! Donations accepted! Proceeds go to World Vision. Sign up to participate in the Variety Show on Sundays after the service in the Narthex.