Spirit of the Eagle – February 2016
Spiritual Tidbits for February from Father Tim
Such as the love of man is, such is he himself. Dost thou love the earth? Thou art earth. Dost thou love God? What shall I say? Thou art God. (St. Augustine). Oh yes, the month of February has once again arrived. And, as usual, the marketing teams of the world are promoting their version of love, and the money (which they fail to mention their love of) begins to flow like a river — in one direction. The word “love” is thrown around more loosely each year that goes by, or so it seems. It would help our spiritual life greatly if, in most instances, we used the word “like” instead of love. Should we really love roses, love chocolates, love the Super Bowl? Listening to the sound advice of St. Augustine should make us contemplate this question. Do we really want to be a rose? A chocolate? A Super Bowl? It is perfectly okay to “like” roses, to really “like” chocolate, and to really, really “like” the Super Bowl, but to love them and live for them so much we become them? I think not. It would degrade us to do so, thus we should choose our words, and what we love, much more carefully. I hope and pray that this February, we set aside some time each and every week, to gather at St. John’s and like our building, like our Prayer Book, and like our fellowship meals; but love the image of God in each other. ~ Father Tim
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You open your heart to receive what comes from God. This attitude must be one of the most excruciating things for a Westerner — to be so seemingly passive. It is not easy to be sensitive to the delicate action of the Spirit in this way. The Spirit moves so very lightly, lighter than the breeze, lighter than the air. When you breathe you are not aware of the air in the room. You are so used to breathing that you don’t think about the air. ~ Catherine Doherty, Poustinia.
We at Saint John’s must become conscious of the air. ~ Father Tim
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Ash Wednesday Mass
There will be an Ash Wednesday “blessing of the ashes” and Mass on the 10th of February. We will have two services, one at 12:00 PM with a said Mass for those who would like to come on their lunch hour, and one at 6:00 PM (with Mass or Evening Prayer TBD) for those who want to come in the evening. Begin the journey to the cross…
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Parish Directory Info / Updates Needed
Rich Seyberth has set a goal of March 1 to release the new/updated parish directory. Information needed will include: name, address, phone numbers and your email address. If you are a new member of the parish who isn’t listed in the current directory, or if any of your information has changed in the last year, please give it to Rich or email him at rseyberth2@gmail.com.
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Lenten Soup & Salad
Our Wednesday evening services return starting on Ash Wednesday. And then on the 17th of February, and every Wednesday through the 23rd of March at 6:00 PM, we will have Evening Prayer with alternating Stations of the Cross (Fr. Neuroth) and the Remnant Rosary (Fr. Butler). At 6:30 PM we will gather in the Parish Hall for Soup, Salad, and Bread. Last year we always had twice as many people for Soup & Salad than attended the Evening Prayers. This was very disheartening. While the fellowship at the meal is very important, we should not disappoint God by receiving His bountiful blessings without offering up our prayers and thanksgivings. Please do your best and attend Evening Prayer as well.
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Lenten Offering Folders
If you have not already received one, we have very nice printed St. John Lenten Offering Folders available. Please see myself or Janet if you do not have one. The proceeds will be used for different outreach purposes. There are so many out in the world, broken, lonely, and in despair who do not know Christ. Let’s pray our Lenten offerings during this holy penitential season will help bring lost sheep back into the fold of the Good Shepherd. ~ Father Tim
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February Spirituality Class
Please join us on the 21st of February after Holy Communion as we continue an in depth study of The Revelation of St. John The Divine. Many people today regard Revelation as the hardest book in the New Testament. It is full of strange, lurid and sometimes bizarre and violent imagery. As a result, many people who are quite at home in the Gospels, Acts and Paul find themselves tiptoeing around Revelation with a sense that they don’t really belong there. But they do! In fact, Revelation offers one of the clearest and sharpest visions of God’s ultimate purpose for the whole creation, and of the way in which the powerful forces of evil, at work in a thousand ways, can be and are being overthrown through the victory of Jesus the Messiah and the consequent costly victory of his followers. Please come and bring a friend to visit our parish!
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Ministry for Children
Savannah will hold the Ministry for Children on the 21st of February after Holy Communion. It is designed for age 2 through 12 years. This month’s ministry will be on Lenten subjects. Please make every effort to bring all related children in your family for these fun and educational classes. The children will participate, enjoy, and learn the foundation and building blocks of the Christian faith through bible stories and created crafts. Savannah will bring the crafts and refreshments are provided.
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Confirmation Class
The Confirmation Class will begin in February and all are welcome to attend. There will be at least seven classes. The first class will cover “What is Confirmation?” and “What is the Mass?”. There will be two opportunities to attend this class, 5:30 PM on the 10th of February or 12:00 PM on the 14th after the Mass. The second class will cover “What Do We Believe?” and “How Do We Offer Ourselves to God?” There will be two opportunities to attend this class as well, 5:30 PM on the 24th of February or 12:00 PM on the 28th after the Mass. Each class will be 30 minutes in length. Please arrive promptly.
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February Birthdays & Anniversaries
Catherine Akhtar – Birthday – February 6
Sally Whalen – Birthday – February 6
Avery Moore – Birthday – February 8
Ruth & Mike Lenz – Anniversary – February 16
Mary Matias & Reza Akhtar – Anniversary – February 17
Carrie Moore – Birthday – February 18
Isabella McHale – Birthday – February 20
Carol & Bob Petrie – Anniversary – February 23
Mike Whalen – Birthday – February 27
Jack Murray – Birthday – February 28
Belated January birthday wishes to Reza (January 4) and Mary Matias Akhtar (January 21)