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In This Issue
Next Sunday’s Readings
Palm Sunday we will start our service at the Columbarium chapel altar by blessing the palms. Then we will process through our campus and into the sanctuary, recalling and celebrating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The service continues with the Passion narrative. These two events stand in stark contrast: from celebration to condemnation in one week! Check out my blog this week for a day-by-day reflection on this passage from Palm Sunday triumph to Good Friday sorrow. This path, this story, prepares us for the joy of resurrection at Easter.
Read Next Sunday’s Lessons here.
Last Sunday’s Sermon:Get Into the Wheelbarrow
God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the dry bones, and to come to life again. Jesus calls to Lazarus in the tomb, “Lazarus, come out!”
Again and again, God is calling us to live – truly live. Too often we settle for lives that are just tolerable. We get by and mistake that for living. That is not what God had in mind for our lives! God created all of us to be expressions of God’s love. Our purpose is to love and be loved. That is a joyful purpose. The world would try to convince us that surviving is enough, but Jesus calls us to live resurrection lives now. The question we all face is: Will we answer that call?
Check out my new web site and Podcast! The link below will take you to my sermons page. Now you can also subscribe to the St. Dunstan’s weekly Sermon as a Podcast through the iTunes online store. Simply search for “The Rev. David Marshall” in Podcasts or follow this link:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id424733629
Listen to Last Sunday's Sermon Here.
For the Love of Each Other
Dear Friends,
I want to say a special “thank you” to the members of the Chapel’s congregation for a beautiful coffee hour last Sunday. Your treats were both attractive and delicious. Your kindness and thoughtfulness are very much appreciated and we are so glad you are a part of our family.
There has always been caring and love for each other here at church, but it is wonderful to see how so many of us are reaching out to new people in our congregation, and to people outside the congregation. There is a sharing of ideas and gifts that is very heartwarming. Some of us are giving support to the Food Bank; some donating to Matthew House; some continue to support the tragedy in Japan; some are making house calls to our members and the list goes on. There are many things that we can do to love and support others and we have so many gifts to share.
The section of the Mission Statement that we are working on this week is to “walk in Christ’s love and forgiveness.” We are doing that every day, and throughout that walk, we will be blessed and we will be blessing others as well. I am amazed when I think about all the things people at St. Dunstan’s Church do for each other.
Please take a look at the new question that is on the table with the Mission Statement this week. We are still working with the same section of the statement, but this week’s question asks, “How do we discover Christ’s love and forgiveness in our worship and prayer?” Fr. David’s sermon last Sunday is certainly a clue to an answer to that question. Please review it on the website or your IPod if you have one. Then I ask that you answer that question on the paper that is on the table in the Narthex. There are lots of answers so let’s share all of them. We are all beginning to live into our new Mission Statement and becoming more fulfilled and closer to God in doing so.
Blessings,
Mary E. Pacher
Vestry Corner
Family Game Night and Auction! The Vestry is planning a game night for family, friends, and the greater community on Saturday, May 21. Tickets will be $5 per person. We'll have refreshments, auction items, and games galore, including Cora Howard playing the piano for a "Name that Tune" game. Please take a look at the our poster in the Narthex describing auction categories. We need your help- it takes a community not just a committee. If you are interested in teaching a game, manning a game table, or providing auction items, contact Diana Rall @206-660-9156 or dtoshiba@comcast.net; Don Riccardo @ dtriccardo@gmail.com or Tom Paulson @ fleeketpooh@gmail.com.
News from the Pastoral Care Team
The Pastoral Care Team takes the lead with ministries that involve our reaching out to one another in helpful ways- paritcularly in difficult times. One ministry is the Eucharistic Visitor program. Eucharistic Visitors (EVs) are parishioners who have expressed interest in taking communion to people unable to come to church because of illness or advanced age. EVs bring to church an individual who can come only infrequently and with assistance. Homebound parishioners are delighted to receive visits- and the experience is gratifying to the visitors as well. If you know of someone we should be visiting with communion, please contact Linda in the office (206-363-4319).
Rica O'Connor
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Spring Cleaning
Lent is the Christian season of preparation for Easter. This is a time to reexamine our lives and a time to recommit to our faith. This Lenten work deepens the experience of Easter. If Lent has slipped you by this year, you still have an opportunity to prepare for Easter. Holy Week offers a compressed observance of the dramatic events at the end of Jesus’ ministry.
This year I will be writing a short daily column at my blog each day of Holy Week. I invite you to take five minutes each day to read that day’s portion of the story along with a short reflection. I will also give you a question or two to consider throughout your day. All of this will prepare us as we draw closer to the resurrection event. You can find my blog at http://revmarshall.com. Just click on the “Blog” link. You can also subscribe to my blog by clicking on the RSS button at the bottom of the page and receive updates to your favorite Internet home page, such as iGoogle.com, Yahoo.com or AOL.
Another way we prepare for Easter is the annual ritual of Spring Cleaning. This year’s Spring Cleaning day is coming up on Saturday. We’ll get started at 9:00am with a fun list of projects around the building and grounds of St. Dunstan's Church. Our energetic Jr. Warden, Lyn, has a list of projects for us to do both inside and out. The women of the St. Agnes Guild are providing coffee, donuts and bagels to help us keep our energy up. Yum! I’ll see you Saturday!
Your brother in Christ,
The Rev. David Marshall
Click here to respond to this posting in my blog.
Another Way We Care
You have recently heard about a new ministry- Care Teams- which is led by Dennis Beals and Karen Tynes. Members of teams pray for those who specifically request it, and they also try to help individuals with support and pratical assistance. A few weeks ago, we began to form teams in this new ministry, and we will be having a Care Team Orientation on Saturday, April 30 at 10:00 am in the Narthex. All persons who have signed up need to try to attend this meeting. This one hour meeting will cover logistics, how we can help, and a few tips on what we cannot do as Care Team members. Coffee and donuts provided of course! Care Team members will be commissioned for this wonderful ministry during services on May 1st.
Special Observance of Palm Sunday
This year’s Palm Sunday observance will start in the beautiful outdoor chapel of our columbarium with the blessing of the Palms. Then we will process, singing, into the church as we remember and celebrate Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Come, join the adoring throngs, and sing Hosanna to the Lord.
Bring Flowers Easter Morning
This year’s Easter service at 10:00am (note the later start) at St. Dunstan's Church will include the beautiful and fun ritual of flowering the cross. We will each have the opportunity to place flowers in a mesh covered cross at the altar. The hard wood of the cross will be transformed into the new life of Easter with a hundred blossoms. This is great fun for children and adults, so bring a carnation, tulip, daffodil, or your favorite flower to our Easter Celebration.
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. 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!
"30 Hour Famine" April 29 and 30th. Our Youth Group is in the midst of planning our "30 Hour Famine" . Although the main highlight for them will be to concentrate and be aware of World Hunger, there are a few places where the congregation can be involved. First, you may donate to "30 hour" World Vision. The Youth Group will have donation envelopes on the next 2 Sundays and designated any donated monies to "Haiti Relief". Second, plan to attend two events that are sponsored by the Youth Group: COMPLINE service Friday night, April 29 at 8 pm and a "Break the Fast" Soup Dinner on Saturday, April 30th at 5 pm. Both events are totally put together and organized by the St. Dunstan's Youth Group.
Upcoming Events in our Congregational Life
 Spring Work Day this Saturday, April 16 starting at 9 am. Plan to join Lyn Donivan and the Building and Grounds Team from the Vestry to help with our Easter Season clean up of our beautiful campus. Please bring your own tools to make our work go faster! Thank you for your participation and support!
Youth Group and Sunday School News
All Youth will be part of the Processional for Palm Sunday. The Sunday School will "dress up" as part of the processional. Both groups will then help out with the Easter Baskets for New Beginnings. The Youth Group will meet from 11 am - 1 pm. We will complete our Ukranian eggs so that we can display them for Easter in the Narthex. We will also put the final touches on teh schedule for the "30 Hour Famine" before permission slips go home. Remember to ask your friends. We will have a special visit from Father David. Please plan to arrive a few minutes early on Palm Sunday to deliver our 'photo cards' and set up the table for donations to the "30 Hour Famine".
Spring Cleaning
It is the time of year when some conscientious souls among us do their Spring Cleaning. Are you one? If you are, please remember that your white-elephants may be someone else’s treasure!
St. Agnes’ Guild is constantly looking for donations to our Faire (bazaar) and parish dinner silent auctions. Books, puzzles and games are always popular items at the Faire. The treasure’s room where costume jewelry, crystal and silver items are featured is a busy place indeed. Surprise us!
We cannot use clothing, electronics, televisions or computers. Call us and we will pick up your donations.
This years’ St. Dunstan’s Canterbury Faire is on Saturday, November 12. We welcome volunteers. Please call Ann Patrice Riccardo at 206 363-3994 or e-mail dtap3@msn.com and join your friends in this annual event. We ne "The Light of God" Stained Glass Window Update: We have a winner! The voting is over, and St. Dunstan's community has chosen a design for the window. The design by Kristin Gilje, with graceful branches and intricate leaves, received more votes that the rest of the designs combined. Jon Hester, our project consultant, assures us that this design will be a delightful one for us to work on, and a gracious addition to our church.Our next step is to meet as a community with Jon Hester, who will teach us the next steps in the process of creating this work of art. Please join us on Tuesday, May 3rd @ 6:30 pm in the Narthex. All are welcome!
The Mad Hatter's Tea Party Fun-Raiser for Mad Hatters of all ages will be Saturday May 14 from 2-4 pm at St. Dunstan's Church. Mark your calendars for this fun filled event featuring madly delicious, tasty tidbits and potables, Mad Hatter prizes, musical entertainment, and a Mad Hat competition. Suggested donation of $5 to St. Agnes Guild of St. Dunstan's. There is a sign up sheet in the narthex of the church or you may contact Ann Patrice Riccardo @206-363-3994 or dtap3@msn.com or Lu Gardiner @206-362-6024 or barryluii@msn.com.
Our Fall Canterbury Faire sponsored by St. Agnes Guild will take place the second Saturday in November: November 12. We are preparing the vendor list and would like any information about any possible vendors: if you have creative talents and would like to display or sell; anyone in your family who may want to be a vendor; or other persons who would like to share their products to sell. Please contact Lu Gardiner or Ann-Patrice Riccardo at the numbers above if you wish to participate.
Register Now for Vacation Bible Camp, July 11-15 9am - 12 pm, through the church website or through the church office! We have 5 children potentially registered so far, but we need more! Bring friends and join us for music, crafts, and lots of fun!
Registration for Summer Camp at Camp Huston is in full swing! Visit www.huston.org to register online or complete a registration form available in the Narthex. Requests for scholarships continue until May 8th. Open House BBQ on May 21 from 11 am - 3 pm is free. Food, tours, and an opportunity to meet the summer staff is provided.
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