Lent is Coming … but be ye not afraid! Lent is not a season to simply give things up or be made to feel miserable (seriously!), it is a time of spiritual refreshment and reflection, and a profound opportunity to re-examine our faith and spiritual practices, and indeed as a community together.
Here are some Lenten opportunities to help you begin engaging joyfully(!) with the season …
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
Save the date of Tuesday, Mar. 4 for our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. We will gather at 5:30 p.m. for pancakes (including gluten-free), bacon, and sausage, followed by the traditional pancake races and burying of the Alleluias. Then we’ll head outside to burn the palms in preparation for Ash Wednesday. Please RSVP here to participate. We would like to get a head count as soon as possible for food planning. We’d love for you to invite friends! A donation of $5 per person with a cap of $20 per family is suggested to help defray costs.
The evening is organized by St. John’s Men’s Group. This group is a great way to connect with other men in the parish, have fun, and find opportunities to get involved in the parish community. The group meets on the third Wednesday or Thursday of each month at a local establishment or the home of a parishioner. Please email Mike Holtschlag for more information or to volunteer to help with the Pancake Supper.
Lent Study Series
This year, Fr. Ed and Devon are putting together resources for our congregation to share in the season of Lent. There will be two resources: one for adults and one for children.
First, Journeying through Lent, which will feature weekly readings, prayers, a fast, and a theological reflection. There will also be a weekly opportunity to engage in theological and spiritual discussion during the season of Lent, based around the themes in the book. These will take place at the Rectory or Upper Weld Hall (numbers pending) on Wednesday evenings during Lent—please see the Lent calendar for more details.
Then, for our younger children, there will be a shorter booklet, Praying through Lent, which will follow the Godly Play Faces of Easter stories, and that children and their families can share together at home during the season. Both booklets will be available by Shrove Tuesday.
“How We Learn to be Brave”—Book Study
The Adult Education and Formation Committee is pleased to present a book discussion and potluck dinner on Sunday March 30 in Upper Weld Hall. Our book offering is How We Learn to be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith by Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. This book is described as an inspirational guide to the key junctures in life that, if navigated with faith and discernment, pave the way for us to become our most courageous delves.
The book is available through amazon Kindle and audiobooks. Please RSVP to hcarter@alum.mit.edu or cslodden@brandeis.edu and no later than March 15 with your dinner offering.
Youth Confirmation Class and Service This Spring!
Our Confirmation Classes are in full flight this year. Fr. Ed is currently teaching sixteen of our youth group members, as they prepare to be confirmed on Saturday, May 4, at 4:30 p.m. at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston. Due to schedule challenges this year (partly due to Fr. Ed’s priestly solo artistry), there are a limited number of classes available. For those who have registered, please see Fr. Ed and Alexis’s emails for information. However, Fr. Ed is planning a Confirmation Study Day prior to the date itself for all those who wish to be confirmed—this will also serve as a catch up for those who struggle to attend all the classes.
Adult Confirmation
Fr. Ed is also now taking applications from adults who also wish to be confirmed. If this is something that interests you, please email Fr. Ed directly by Sunday, Mar. 2. Fr. Ed will then reach out to those interested and set a time for a general discussion about what is involved! Email: ethornley@stjohns-hinghasm.org Adults will be confirmed at the same service as our youth, on May 4 in Boston.
The Episcopal Church’s Response to the Immigration Crisis
Please join us on Mar. 2 following the 10 a.m. service, for a meeting in the Thayer Room to discuss some potential new outreach opportunities. Kenzie Blackwell, Merryn Rutledge, and Celia McLane will be speaking specifically about how the broader Episcopal Church is addressing issues around immigration which have arisen in recent weeks, and will update those interested on individual volunteer opportunities that may be available.