All Souls Parish



The Presbyterian Church Port Chester, New York
The Messenger



March 10, 2010 -  Number 2074

Pastor’s Message…

I just got back from a clergy retreat that the Presbytery sponsored.  It was one of those days when I left.  There was the Sunday service followed by the deacons meeting followed by a CROP Walk meeting followed by getting lost (kind of, I got off an exit or two too early) going up to the retreat center.  By the time I got there, I really needed a retreat.

The retreat leader was Mary Boyz, a professor from Union Seminary, who led us in reflecting on the cross and resurrection.  That first night there was a lively discussion about the meaning of the cross/crucifixion and what it meant, what it means, how we can understand it in the context of who we are in this time in this place.  How do we understand the blood sacrifice that is so often presented to us in an age when ritual sacrifice is so alien to our lives?  How do we understand Jesus dying for our sins in order that we might find salvation and that being the most important part of his existence?

Well we talked about salvation and how we need to be saved every day, how we need to be salvific for others every day, how there are small moments of salvation that happen all around us every day.  Salvation after all comes from the same Latin root as health/healing.  We need to be healed every day.  We need to be a healing presence to others every day.  We need to notice those incredible moments which pass us by every day that speak to the healing presence of our loving God.

Salvation is not pie in the sky by and by.  It is what needs to be part of our everyday living.  When we are running from pillar to post and get kind of lost (either on the road or in our lives), we need to be saved, to be healed, to find that risen Christ among us and within us.  That is the real Easter miracle, to find the risen Christ even now just like those disciples on the road to Emmaus, just like those frightened disciples shut up in that upper room, just like grieving Mary in the garden.

I know it’s still Lent and we need to be doing that self-examination and reflection before we get to the BIG DAY, but looking for, being that risen Christ may not be a bad Lenten discipline for us to take up.  Be healed, and go out and heal others.  Lord knows the world, and you and I could use it.                        -Bruce

 

News From The Pews…

Continued prayers are asked for…

V      All ministries of this parish; Small Group ministries, Sunday School/Bible Study, Healing Ministries, Saturday Evening Worship, Chancel Choir, Session & Deacons, General Assembly, Parish Nurse, Spirituality Group, Soup Kitchen and Carver Center; for our youth and children.

V      For Laura continued prayers for healing.

V       Our president, his staff, our military and those around the world living in fear and praying for freedom.

V       For all soldiers and troops.

V       Our personnel abroad in places of danger and those at home experiencing new worries.

V       People who are seeking employment.

V       The people of Iraq and our troops stationed there.

V       The refugees in Sudan.

V       Our troubled world, prayers for our enemies.

V       For all veterans.

V       For those who are suffering from addiction.

V       For all of those traveling.

V       Rose Cumming & Roberta Gillan.

It was a joy…

V       Julie B., Rob H. & Ken H. birthdays.

V       Martha’s father doing well.

V       Zaccara’s dinner.

V       Hernando & Caroline’s  work on the Crop-Walk website.

Please remember to pray for…

V       Penny D’s family as they mourn her passing.

V       Gary & family on the death of Constance.

V       Emily and her family as she recovers from knee surgery.

V       Healing for Penny’s friend Eileen.

V       Nate W. and the PCMS students going to Spain.

V       Carly’s roommate as she mourns the loss of her uncle.

V       Marissa’s family.

V       Martha’s father who has a heart condition.

V       Pat’s mother Lucy recovering from surgery.

V       Ethel & Miriam both recovering.

V       Penny’s niece as she awaits test results.

V       The People of Chile and Haiti.

V       Deb for healing.

V       Diane for peace.

V       Rosalie as she mourns the loss of her daughter.

V       Engle’s family.

V       Carey’s good friend Walter and family on the passing of his wife Bunny in Florida.

V       Julie’s Aunt Ellen.

V       Jinny’s niece Linda recovering from brain surgery.

V       Sam’s sister for continued strength and healing.

V       Travelling mercies especially for Jen.

V       Sam’s mother looking for employment.

V       Caroline’s friend Sandra taking citizenship test.

V       Al M. who will be having surgery.

V       Rose Cumming and family as they mourn the death of her cousin Rose Frattarola who was 93 years old.

V       Rose Cumming for strength and healing.

V       Trevor for direction.

 

Worship This Sunday…

This Sunday we will hear Jesus’ wonderful parable of the prodigal son.  How heartening it is to know that no matter how much we mess up, if we turn back to God, we will be welcomed with loving arms.  The Chancel Choir will sing “My Crown of Creation”, with the powerful text by Jaroslav Vajda, set very creatively to the ‘Simple Gifts’ tune by Charles Ore.  The children will sing a lovely song by Mary Lu Walker, “Golden String”, a parable about loving relationships. The prelude will be a tender setting of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”, by the jazz composer Chuck Marohnic.

 

Eight O’Clock Hour…

Please read chapter 4 Faith in, "The Case For God" by Karen Armstrong for Sunday March 14. Ken Nilsen

 

Bible Readings for the Week…

                        Morning                        Evening

March 7                Mark 10 32-52                    Deut. 3, 4

March 8                Mark 11 1-18                       Deut. 5, 6, 7

March 9                Mark 11 19-33                    Deut. 8, 9, 10

March 10              Mark 12 1-27                       Deut. 11, 12, 13

March 11              Mark 12 28-44                    Deut. 14, 15, 16

March 12              Mark 13 1-20                       Deut. 17, 18, 19

March 13              Mark 13 21-37                    Duet. 20, 21, 22

Daylight Saving Time…

Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 14th. Please remember to turn your clocks one hour ahead before bed on Saturday, March 13th.

Praying for the Church…

Part of what we are called to do as believers is to remember that we are all part of the same body, and that if one member of the body is in pain, the whole body suffers.  If one part of the body rejoices, the whole body joins in their elation.  With that in mind we ask that you remember those of this congregation and those of our presbytery family listed below as you offer your daily prayers. Mary & George Betz, The Brakewood Family, Betty Dineen, Doug & Shenoa Carey, Calvary, newburgh First Chruch Wappingers Falls.  We are all one body in Christ.

 

Healing Service

This Saturday, March 13th there will be a healing Litany as part of our regular Saturday evening Taizé service. During the time of intercessory prayer, you can share your prayer concerns with a healing minister who will then offer prayer with you. Deborah Pfau will serve as Healing Minister for this service. The Saturday evening service is a more meditative time, and all are invited to share in this quiet time with God.

 

A Day of Quiet…

This year we will prepare for our Holy Week journey with a half day quiet retreat led by Renate Sutterlin.  Renate has led the Spirituality Group here at All Souls for over a decade, but her experience in helping people discover their spiritual path extends far beyond that.  She did graduate work at Fordham in this discipline and was the director of the Guild for Spiritual Development for nearly two decades.  Our Day of Quiet will be March 27, the Saturday before Palm/Passion Sunday.  It will be a half day event, and there will be a sign up sheet in the narthex.  The purpose of this day is to help us center ourselves as we prepare to take the final steps of our Lenten journey.

 

Serving This Sunday…

Preacher:               Rev. J. Bruce Baker

Organist:               Joanna Nilsen

Liturgist:               Deborah Pfau

Counters:              Audrey Thime & Mary Betz

Sunday School:    Elise Lemire & Carolee Brakewood

Greeter:                 Debby Tedesco

We Care Team III:  Deacons Ethel Mellon & Miriam Rodriguez

Team Members:  Caroline & Hernando Acuna, Felicity Fuller, Sue & Roy Haney, Penny & Sim Kovacic, Joan Stevenson, Andrea Winchester, Eleanore Wolf.

 

e-mail address: AllSoulsParish@Yahoo.com  Web site: http://www.allsoulsparish-portchester.org/

 

Editorial Staff

Editor: Enza Giglio
Circulation: Ethel Mellon
Reporting Staff: All Members

STAFF                      
Pastor:  Rev. J. Bruce Baker
Minister of Music: Joanna Nilsen
Bookkeeper: Debbie Bunnell
Secretary: Enza Giglio
Sexton: Vilma Torres
Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:45-11:45am Church Phone (914) 939-4300 Fax # (914) 935-0865
 
 
 

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