St. Andrews by the Lake

GRAINS OF SAND

February 2010

VICAR’S MESSAGE

     For those of you receiving this newsletter online, today (February 2nd) is The Feast of the

Presentation. The day commemorates the purification of Mary and the presentation of Jesus in the temple, which took place 40 days after his birth – as Jewish law required. The story can be found in Luke 2:22-40, but essentially, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem because every firstborn child was to be dedicated to God. The also went to sacrifice a pair of doves or two young pigeons – showing that Mary and Joseph were poor (as compared to sacrificing a larger animal, and thus more costly). Once in the temple, Jesus is purified by the prayer of Simeon, which we know as the Nunc Dimittis (found in Evening Prayer and Compline):

     Lord, you now have set your servant free

     to go in peace as you have promise;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior,
whom you have prepared for all the world to see;
A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel. (Luke 2: 29-32)
But the person who catches my attention is Anna, the prophetess. She appears in only three verses of Scripture, yet the glimpse we get into her life reveals a woman dedicated to living the ‘with-God’ life. She spent all her time in God’s earthly dwelling place – which was at that time – the Temple in Jerusalem.  In other words, she herself had become a dwelling place of God, and late in her life she helped welcome Jesus, Immanuel – the child who embodied the promise of ‘God with us’.
We may not identify with Anna’s call to prophecy or her living situation – especially if we need to get up each day and go to work to make a living. But her commitment to the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and worship – is a commitment we can all consider and pursue in our own lives. When I say ‘prayer, fasting and worship’, I mean a life that engages with God through our minds, bodies and activities.

     Perhaps you’ve heard of Brother Lawrence, a 17th Century monk, who served in his monastery’s kitchen, doing the work familiar to many of us – planning and preparing food, cleaning up, serving others. Brother Lawrence writes about focusing on God’s presence throughout all of his day – both in times of focused quiet and in times of work and the routines of daily life.  In his book, Practicing the

Presence of God, he writes: “Applying my mind to these thoughts in the morning and then spending the rest of the day, even in the midst of all my work, in the presence of God, I considered that God was always with me – even within me.”     The disciplines of prayer, fasting, and worship are powerful tools that allow us to practice God’s presence through all facets of our life, to live daily and hourly as the dwelling place of God ourselves.  As Anna rejoiced in the coming of Jesus, we too can experience that same joy – ‘God with us’ – as we consider how to make prayer, fasting and worship central to our lives. Here are some questions for personal reflection:

     •    How often during the course of a typical day are you attentive to God’s presence with you? Is your prayer limited to mealtimes and formal devotional times, or do you often turn to God in the activity of your day?
•    Have you tried fasting, either from food or from some other habitual activity in your life (TV, radio, newspaper, e-mail, Internet), in order to engage in greater worship of God? What kind of difference could, or does, the practice of fasting make in your life with God?
•    Choose the most mundane activity of your daily life and think of a way you could practice the presence of God while doing it.
This Feast Day is just several weeks from our entry into Lent. It doesn’t hurt to begin thinking now, how your own spiritual life might go into deeper waters as we live these days at the end of the season of Epiphany. When you are in church the next few Sundays, take a look at some of the resources available to help you on your way.. They are on the first table as you enter the Mission Hall.
Blessings,  Cindy

DID YOU KNOW?

     Another name for the Feast of the Presentation is Candlemas. Candlemas was seen as the end of the Christmas season. One of the superstitions that developed was the belief that if one does not take down Christmas decorations by Candlemas, traces of the holly and berries will bring about the death of the person involved.  Aren’t you glad we don’t believe in those kinds of ideas!!  (PS Are your Christmas decorations down?)

     On the lighter side, Candlemas Day was also the day when some cultures predicted weather patterns. Farmers believed that the remainder of winter would be the opposite of whatever the weather was like on Candlemas Day. An old English song goes:

     If Candlemas be fair and bright,

     Come winter, have another flight:

     If Candlemas bring clouds and rain,

     Go winter, and come not again.

So if the sun cast a shadow on Candlemas Day, more winter was on the way; if there was not shadow, winter was thought to be ending soon. This practice led to the folklore behind “Groundhog’s Day”, which falls on February 2nd, too.
Liturgically, in some churches, people bring candles from home to be blessed. These are then saved for later use at home. Sometimes on Candlemas Day, churches will have an evening service called the “Feast of Lights’ – and fill the church with candle-light during worship.
It’s unfortunate that this Feast Day usually falls mid-week – as it often passes by unnoticed.  But if you’re reading this – perhaps you might light a candle and ponder for awhile how Christ’s Spirit in you brings light to the world around you. How are you a dwelling place for God?

LENT

     On February 17th, we begin the Season of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent is a time in the Church Year that is meant to be reflective and contemplative. We go on a pilgrimage, alone (in our personal time with God) and together (in community worship). This pilgrimage reminds us that with Christ’s grace we can move away from unresolved hurts, conditioned responses and misplaced loyalties.  The Season of Lent is a cleansing time where we acknowledge our programs of self-justification, and recognize that Jesus doesn’t evaluate us – he calls us ‘beloved’. Whoever we are and wherever we are on the journey with God, we are loved.  What in your heart are you bringing to God this Lent for cleansing? What spiritual practices will you be taking on in order to renew your soul?

     Here is a simple prayer exercise that may take only about five minutes of your time.
•    Prayer for Light. Ask God to grace you with God’s presence and guidance during this time. Ask for light – “Jesus, help me to understand this……”.
•    Review your day in Thanksgiving. Walk through the past twenty-four hours from place to place, and person to person, task to task. Thank God for every gift you have encountered. Recall to mind the gifts of relationships, food, work, challenges. Gratitude is the foundation of our relationship with God.
•    Review the feelings that surface as you replay the day. Pay attention to them. Perhaps you cover a wide range of feelings: boredom, delight, hope, regret, desire, impatience, resentment, anger, doubt, gratitude, shame, compassion, uncertainty. Whatever was there – acknowledge it. Feelings can be one indication of what is going on in our lives. Be observant – as patterns may emerge.
•    Choose one of those feelings and pray from it. What caught your attention? Pray spontaneously the prayer that surfaces as you attend to what might be the source of that feeling.
•    Look toward tomorrow. What feelings surface as you look at the tasks, meetings, and appointments of the day? Are you looking forward and anticipating something with delight? Is there self-doubt about something? Temptation to procrastinate? Energized planning? Whatever it is – turn it into a prayer – for help, for healing, for guidance and direction. At the end of this time of examination, pray the Lord’s Prayer, or perhaps a favorite poem or a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer that is special to you.

       If you try this method, it might help you discern the presence or absence of God in your life. It also poses the question: Where is God in all this? Where do you stand as you move toward another Lent?  Do you want to go into the deeper waters? If so, try the spiritual practice above several times a week, if not daily. Where will your pilgrimage lead you as you move toward Easter? Wherever it is – God promises to be with us to roll away the stones of our tombs – whatever and wherever that may be. May you have a Holy Lent.

ASH WEDNESDAY – February 17

     “I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.”  (BCP  p 265)

     Holy Eucharist and the Imposition of Ashes will be Wednesday, February 17th, at 7  pm. If you don’t wish to go out in the evening, then check the Religion Round Up in the paper, or Church Ads to see if another church is having a service midday. In either case, try to begin your observance of the Lenten season by attending an Ash Wednesday Liturgy.

                                                       PARISH EVENTS

WEDNESDAYS IN LENT – Soup Supper & Study

     Each Wednesday in Lent you are invited to gather for a simple supper of soup and bread, followed by a study group. This year the topic is: Affectionately Yours, Screwtape: The Devil and C.S. Lewis

     Did God give each person free will? Who is Satan? Can good truly overcome evil? We’ll read the short book, The Screwtape Letters,  and travel inside the mind of C.S. Lewis.  We’ll explore the imaginative letters between two devils.  To lead us into our discussion, we’ll view a short segment of video (each time) that helps us understand the biblical, historical and cultural depictions of Satan and hell – as well as provides insights into the nature of temptation and redemption.

     You are invited to help provide dinner by signing up to bring a pot of soup one of the Wednesday nights – and a loaf of bread. Sign up in the Mission Hall.  If you can’t stay for the study, then just come join us for supper.

NORWAY MY NORWAY: A Night of Norwegian Music.  There are just a few free tickets left for a wonderful evening of music by Arna Rennan and Brian Dack – local Norwegian folk musicians.  A free-will offering will be taken and proceeds will go to the CHUM Food Shelf. The evening includes coffee and Scandinavian treats. Get your tickets from Donn Larson. Invite a friend! February 12th, 7:00 p.m.

     Help is needed Thursday evening for set up and Saturday morning for take down. If teens can come down to help, Donn and Donna Larson will make a donation to the Pilgrimage.

FOR PARENTS OF TEENS

     On Sunday mornings and during Confirmation, we have been using short videos produced by Rob Bell to spark our discussions. Rob Bell is one of the leading pastors in the Emergent Church movement – something that will no doubt touch your teen’s life in some way as they move toward adulthood. We’d like to offer four sessions after worship on February 21, March 7, 14, 21 so you have an opportunity to see and hear some of what your teen has experienced. The discussions have been lively and engaging. Join either Cindy P-W or Steve Wlosinski right after worship on those dates to see a video (they run ten minutes) and have a 20 minute discussion. Bring your coffee and snack from coffee hour and meet in the Library.

Tweens Roller Skating

     February 14 after the Annual Meeting (12:30 p.m.) We’ll car pool from St. Andrew’s to the World of Wheels Skating Rink in Superior. Cost is $10 per youth. This includes entry into the skating rink, skate rental and snacks. We need drivers – please talk to Brian Lundberg, if you can help.

St. Andrew’s Stitchers: Next gathering will be held at Sandy Carlson’s home, 1900 St. Louis Avenue Apt. #116  on Saturday, February 27 at 1 pm. Bring your handwork. Sign up in the Mission Hall. Everyone is welcome.

Other Meetings and Events

February 7 – Pancake Breakfast (sponsored by Senior High)
February 9 – Peace and Justice Meeting (11:45 am at Porters)
February 14 – Annual Meeting (after worship)
February 14 – Tweens Roller Skating 1-3:30 pm World of Wheels
February 21 – Bishop’s Committee meeting (after worship)
February 27 – St. Andrew’s Stitchers (1 pm)
February 28 – Pilgrimage Meeting (after worship)
March 7 – The Blessing Way (for new and expectant mothers and friends)
February 21, March 7, 14, 21 – For Parents of Teens (after worship)

RUMMAGE SALE – June 11th and 12th

     During the Park Point Rummage Sale we’ll be holding our own Rummage Sale – so start setting aside things you might offer. The chair-persons of this event are Kathy Jacobs, Ellie Alspach and Elena Knezevich. The proceeds will go toward Pilgrimage
expenses.  PLEASE DO NOT BRING ANYTHING TO THE CHURCH UNTIL THEY GIVE US THE GO AHEAD. We don’t have storage space – so it will probably be early June. A list will also come out of things we cannot sell.

God willing and the people consenting,
The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church
Will Ordain and Consecrate
The Rev. Brian N. Prior as the IX Bishop of Minnesota
Saturday, February 13, 2010
11:00 in the morning
Minneapolis Convention Center
1301 Second Avenue South, Minneapolis
All are invited to this joyous occasion
Light reception will follow
Childcare from ages two through kindergarten will be provided
Clergy alb and red stole; Bishops rochet and chimere.

There will be a bus to the ordination. It will from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 7:00 am and arrive back around 5:30 pm. Cost is $22 per person (non-refundable). Payment is to be made at the time of reservation at St. Paul’s office (724-3535).

                                 EVENTS IN THE DULUTH COMMUNITY

CHUM Annual Meeting, February 11th, at Pilgrim Congregational Church (2310 East 4th St.), 6:30 p.m. (coffee and bars) with the meeting and worship from 7-8 p.m. Members of congregations are encouraged to attend.  We come together on the 11th to celebrate our commitment to be effective servants to a God of compassion and justice. The Rev. Dr. Karen Smith Sellers (Conference Minister of the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ) will challenge and inspire us as we embark on a new year of ministry to the Duluth community.

     Adelaide Cline, from St. Andrew’s, is on the board of CHUM. If you have any questions, please speak to her.

Latino Voices: Immigration in OUR Community

     This program is offered to introduce us to immigration issues. It will be moderated by a panel with Latino immigrants from the Duluth community. There will be dialog to promote mutual understanding and action steps developed to move forward in immigration reforms.

       Two sessions are offered for your choice – BOTH on February 8, 2010

•    Noon-1:30 pm at the Center for Economic Development

                                         Duluth Technology Village
11 E. Superior St., Duluth
Brown bag lunch.  Parking in the ramp - $1/hour

•    4:00-5:30 pm at The Rafters (Kirby Center, UMD)

     Sponsors of this event are: ELCA Immigration Task Force, League of Women Voters, Resource Center of the Americas, UMD Latino/Chicano Student Programs and the Latino/Chicano Student Association, and Peace UCC.

Shared Humanity Through Humor

     Firoozeh Dumas, bestselling author of Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America

and Laughing Without an Accent will be present to talk about her books and life experiences. Firoozeh grew up listening to her father, a former Fulbright Scholar, recount the many colorful stories of his life in both Iran and America. In 2001, she decided to write her stories as a gift to her children. Jimmy Carter called Funny in Farsi a “humorous and introspective chronicle of a life filled with love – of family, country and heritage.”  Tuesday, March 2, 2010 4:00 pm at the Kirby Student Center Ballroom (UMD). No admission fee – open to the public. For more information speak to Liz Benson Johnson. There are 7 copies of each book at the UMD Library and anyone can get a community care to use the library.

                                                           HAITI

     For many of us, our minds and hearts have been with the people of Haiti these past three weeks. Did you know that Haiti is a diocese of the Episcopal Church? Here are a few more facts about our brothers and sisters in Haiti:
•    The Episcopal Church in Haiti lost a cathedral, convent, Holy Trinity Complex, College St. Pierre, and a Jubilee Center.
•    The Episcopal Church’s three missionaries who were in Haiti are all accounted for.
•    The Diocesan offices are located In Port-au-Prince.
•    Haiti is the largest and fastest-growing diocese in the Episcopal Church. There are over 83,000 Episcopalians in Haiti – and 97 Episcopal Churches.
•    The Rt. Rev. Zache Duracin is Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti. He is unharmed; his wife suffered an injury to her foot.
•    In 2008, the diocese celebrated over 200 child and adult baptisms, and over 700 child and adult confirmations.
•    The Episcopal Relief and Development has disbursed emergency funding to the Diocese of Haiti to help meet critical needs such as food, water and shelter for those affected.

Many of you have donated from your own resources for the relief effort in Haiti. Please remember that the recovery effort in Haiti is a marathon and not a sprint. There will be many opportunities in the months and years to come to continue our help to assist in the rebuilding effort, educational opportunities and health care needs. ERD (Episcopal Relief and Development) is a wonderful organization and they are especially equipped to assist the people of Haiti since the have been ‘on the ground’ there for many years. If you would like to make continued offerings to these efforts, you can make a check out to St. Andrew’s by the Lake and put ERD on the memo line. We will send a monthly check to ERD as money is offered.
Here are a couple of paragraphs from Bishop Duracin of Haiti:

     “Finally, I wish to make it plain: I know that many of our partners wish to come to Haiti right now to help. Please tell them that unless they are certified professionals in relief and recovery, they must wait. We will need them in the months and years to come, but at this point, it is too dangerous and too much of a burden for our people to have mission teams here.  Please tell our partners, the people of The Episcopal Church, the people of the United States, and indeed the people of the world, that we in Haiti are immensely grateful for their prayers, support and generosity. This is a desperate time in Haiti – we have lost so much. But we still have the most important assets – the people of God – and we are working continuously to take care of them.”

“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.”  3 John 2

“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline”.  2 Timothy 1: 7