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LENT 2010
LETTING GO
Our theme for Lent this year is "Letting Go". Simply placing these words before us raises many questions. What are we "letting go" of? Why are we "letting go"? If we "let go", what might we receive in return? In our collect for Ash Wednesday, we pray for God to "…create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness." Book of Common Prayer, p. 217
In this season of Lent, we are seeking to let go of our sins, in order that God might restore and renew us. We speak of sin and repentance a great deal during Lent, but what do we mean? Sin, in Hebrew, simply means to miss the mark, not hitting the target. For the Hebrews, the target was God. God calls us to love God and love each other. Whenever we fail to fulfill this calling, we sin. Of course, with such a high calling, we sin fairly frequently. The remedy, when we find ourselves in this state, is to repent. Repent, like sin, is a simple word, yet one with a great deal of baggage attached. Yet, it simply means to change one’s mind or purpose. It also means to turn around.
Lent can be a time in which we place heavy burdens on ourselves—taking on all sorts of new spiritual practices or giving up bad or unhealthy habits. We certainly may take on new habits or give up old ones, but let’s not see this as a burden. Rather, let’s look at our practices as a means by which we shed ourselves of excess baggage. Lent is a time for us to "let go" of whatever might keep us from becoming the children that God has created us to be. It is a time for us to become the people that we know, deep within our hearts, we want to be. It is a time for us to consider changing our mind and turning around, towards God.
This year the people of Good Shepherd, your friends and neighbors, have created a devotional booklet for Lent. In the meditations of this devotional, you will read of the numerous ways that God has tugged at the hearts of many of us, calling us to "let go", in order to receive and claim God’s promises. I suspect you will see yourself in some of these meditations. If you do, you will probably hear God’s call as well. We are called to "let go" in order that we might journey, lightly and unencumbered, towards the new life that Christ has in store for us. A new life awaits us. Come, let us go.
Blessings and peace,
Robert
Letting Go - Lenten Meditation Book.
You are invited and encouraged to use the devotion booklet enclosed in this Lenten mailing. Back in December more than 40 brave and generous volunteers agreed to consider the assigned readings for a day in Lent and write a brief reflection on the scripture, serving as wonderful Lenten guides for all of us. Due to space constraints the scripture readings themselves are not provided, only noted, so please look them up before reading each day! Deep thanks to all our writers for sharing their faith with the congregation.
Lenten Morning Prayer
Join us for Morning Prayer Monday through Friday, starting Monday, February 22 and concluding Friday, March 26. If you are willing to be a lay leader of Morning Prayer, please contact Jeff Campbell. Life is fragile; handle with prayer!
Christian Formation Classes during Lent
Adult Forum: Tom LePage, Senior Director of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College (and Good Shepherd parishioner and vestry member), will lead a six week class based on the book When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor ... and Yourself. Tom has served in International Relief and Development in Haiti and across Africa for more than 17 years. Books are available (but not required for the class) for those interested.
Adult Inquirers Class: The Rev. Robert Childers will lead a six week overview of the Christian faith as expressed in the Episcopal Church. The class serves those seeking to be confirmed in April as well as anyone who would like to deepen and refresh their knowledge about the church, our traditions and our theology.
The Myth of the Perfect Parent: The Rev. Janice Robbins will facilitate an offering for parents of young children, February 21, March 7, 14 and March 21 in the library. (Note: NOT Feb. 28). We all fall into the trap of wanting to be the perfect parent. As soon as we take that bait, however, we realize how far short we fall of the impossible goal we have set for ourselves and our children. In this study we will look at shifting our expectations, as well as our goals. Together let’s see how we can strive to faithful rather than perfect.
Thorne Sparkman School of Religion The 37 th annual Thorne Sparkman School of Religion convenes Wednesdays in Lent at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church downtown. Classes meet from 7:00 to 7:50 p.m. and 8:00 to 8:50 p.m. A 5:45 Eucharist and 6:00 supper precede the classes. Brochures are available in the church office and the narthex. The Rev. Wil Keith will celebrate the Eucharist and Good Shepherd parishioners will serve supper March 10. If you can help out, please contact the church office.
Wednesday Night Worship & Education We will celebrate the Holy Eucharist Wednesday evenings using the liturgy from the New Zealand Prayer Book. After Shepherd’s Night Out, The Rev. Robert Childers will continue his teaching on spiritual disciplines with the focus for Lent on The Spirituality of Fasting.
Special for Children During Lent & Easter We’ll also "bury the Alleluia." Wednesday night movies will continue after SNO. In Sunday school, children will receive mite boxes to use for earned change to be donated to the children of Haiti. The children will continue with the parables Jesus told and stories of healing, teaching and transforming from Jesus’ life.
Flowering of the Cross: Please bring flowers from your garden (or the grocery store!) to place on the Easter Cross as a special offering to God. We will "flower" a cross before the 9:00 am service to be processed into the sanctuary during the offering of the gifts. You’re welcome to add to the flowered cross at the 11:00 am service.
Organ Recital: "The Organ and Friends" Sunday, February 28, 5:00 pm
Good Shepherd Organist and Director of Music John Wigal will be joined by several area musicians to present a varied program of music for the organ and other instruments. Dr. Monte Coulter, professor of percussion at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, will join Mr. Wigal for two pieces for organ and marimba. Also on the program is local harpist Tiffany Envid performing the widely recognized "Aria in Classic Style" for harp and organ by Marcel Grandjany. Two solo works for the organ will be offered, the "Passacaglia in c minor" by Johann Sebastian Bach and a set of variations by Wisconsin composer John Behnke on the well-known hymn "Morning Has Broken". The program will conclude with the "Ave Maria" by Gabriel Faure for two sopranos, harp, violin, cello and organ. Featured in this work will be Delores Beery, mezzo-soprano, and Cecelia Wigal, soprano. Instrumentalists joining Ms. Envid and Mr. Wigal for the Faure will be violinist Mark Reneau, and cellist Eric Reed.
Lenten Hymn Festival: "Lift High the Cross" Sunday, March 14, 5:00 pm
This community-wide program will be held at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, 214 E. Eighth Street, and will feature choirs from several churches across the area. The Adult Choir of Good Shepherd will be among the participants. The parish is invited to attend this program of congregational song anchored by choirs, organ, brass, timpani and an appearance by the Chattanooga Girls Choir. There is no admission charge.
LENT AND EASTER CALENDAR
Daily Morning Prayer
Morning Prayer is offered in the Chapel each weekday during Lent beginning February 22 at 8:30 am and concluding on March 26 with Holy Eucharist.
St. Patrick’s/Ireland Pilgrimage Dinner and Auction, Friday, March 19. Save the date for an evening of fine dining, wine and the opportunity to bid on great auction packages. Proceeds will go the the 2010 Pilgrimage Fund.
Passion/Palm Sunday, March 28 , 8:00 am Rite I and 10:00 am Rite II
The Service for Passion Sunday begins with the Liturgy of the Palms outside on the patio. A procession of the congregation with palms and music marks Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The reading of the Passion Gospel and Holy Eucharist follows as we begin the journey of Holy Week.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 29, 30 and 31, 6:00 pm Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Holy Week Eucharist will be held daily in the Nave.
Maundy Thursday, April 1, 6:00 pm in the Nave
The service will include Footwashing and the Stripping of the Altar and the Adult Choir will present movements from the "Missa Brevis" by the Episcopal composer Peter Mathews. One of our most beautiful and intense liturgies, the Maundy Thursday liturgy lets us retell the story of Jesus’ last evening with his disciples, giving us all the commandment to "Love one another as I have loved you."
Good Friday, April 2, 12 noon (Chapel), 5:30 pm (Stations) and 6:15 pm (Nave)
At 12 noon the Liturgy for Good Friday with Holy Eucharist from the reserve sacrament will be celebrated in the Nave. This solemn service marks the death of Christ on the Cross. At 5:30 pm the Stations of the Cross will be walked, using the stations found on the walls of the Nave. At 6:15 pm the Holy Eucharist from the reserve sacrament will be celebrated.
Holy Saturday, April 3,The Great Vigil of Easter, 8:00 pm
The Great Vigil will be celebrated beginning outside with the lighting of the new fire and the new Paschal Candle. The procession will lead into the church where we will hear the story of God’s salvation for all people as found in the Old and New Testaments. The Renewal of Baptismal vows will end the service leaving us ready for the celebration of the resurrection on the next morning.
EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 4
7:30 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I
9:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II
(Flowering of the Cross, Children’s Church,
Music led by the Adult Choir and Brass)
11:00 am Holy Eucharist and Baptism, Rite II
( Music led by the Adult Choir and Brass)
The Rev. Robert T.J. Childers will preach at all services.
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