St. Matthew’s United Church eBulletin Mar. 15, 2020
Third Sunday of Lent: Trust
News
1) Give up your dead pens
2) Give it up for the environment
3) Green Lent Resources
1) A daily meditation for walking, travelling, or exercising in Lent
2) Lenten Watch for those who want to set aside time for prayer
What's coming up at St. Matthew's (* see below for more information)
Tue. Mar. 17 Book Club cancelled
Thu. Mar. 19 Bible study cancelled
Thu. Mar. 19 Bell and Singing Choirs cancelled
Fri. Mar. 20 Lunch Bunch community choir cancelled
Sun. Mar. 22 Lent 4 Worship Service cancelled
Sun. Mar. 29 EarthSpiritAction lunch and learn cancelled
Covid-19 and St. Matthew's Response
We've decided to assess whether to have services on a week-by-week basis. Given the age of our congregation and the number of people who are returning from overseas travel due to, well, winter, and also March Break it is important that we respect the importance of social distancing while being mindful of the advice of the provincial Medical Officer of Health.
Mar 15-22 No choirs, No Bible study
Sun. Mar. 22 No service
Each Thursday Betsy will send a note regarding the subsequent Sunday. This will include some church-at-home materials. In the meantime, please don't hesitate to email stmatts.betsy@ns.sympatico.ca or call (902) 453-9471 if you'd appreciate help with errands, or just to say hello :-)
• Circus Programs are continuing, as there's no directive from Public Health to shut down and they are doing extra cleaning.
Please note that St. Matthew's is now a handshake-touch free zone. Sanitizer is available throughout the church for the convenience of anyone visiting or on business.
Do you need assistance?
Anyone in the congregation who needs assistance getting groceries, essential supplies like toilet paper, prescription refills, library books, even travel to appointments should email Betsy at stmatts.betsy@ns.sympatico.ca or the office stmatts@ns.sympatico.ca. Many volunteers in the congregation have offered to assist those who are concerned about being out and around, particularly people in high-risk age categories.
Urgent repairs going ahead
The Official Board met on the weekend to discuss recommendations of the Property Assessment Report. It has been decided to proceed with some of the Priority 1 repairs, which are considered to be urgent and critical. Further discussions are planned after the dust settles from the current health crisis.
Observing Lent in a climate-friendly way
Lent is often considered the season of “working on ourselves” – practising changing things about ourselves that separate us from God and others, practising prayer or meditation to connect more deeply with the Holy, taking something on, or giving something up, whether as an act of service or learning or outreach. Here are some initiatives to consider during Lent 2020.
Do you toss used pens, markers, etc. into the garbage? That plastic ends up in landfills and who knows where else. But Staples sends discarded pens to a special recycling centre in Ontario. There is a box at the back of the church, decorated by the children, for your discarded pens; bring them in, and we will recycle them for you.
Any writing instruments encased in plastic are eligible for recycling: pens, propelling pencils, markers of all kinds. The EarthSpiritAction Team will count them up at the end of Lent and maybe continue the collection in the future. Keeping plastic out of landfills is a Lenten gift to conserve our environment and sustain Earth for human habitation
Do you typically fast, pray, or perform special acts of compassion during Lent? In the 21st century's climate crisis, perhaps you would like to consider how your Lenten practice can be beneficial to the environment while being spiritually meaningful to you.
Here is one resource you might want to use while observing Lent this year. It is a calendar that provides ideas for reducing our carbon footprint and cherishing the earth that God made. If some suggestions are not applicable to us, we can substitute our own ideas on those days. https://creationjustice.salsalabs.org/lentcalendar2020/index.html
The EarthSpiritAction team is posting other opportunities for observing Lent on our website. Go to the St. Matthew's website, choose About, then EarthSpiritAction EcoResources
or try this link: https://stmatts.ns.ca/about/earth-spirit-action-eco-team?c=greenlentresources
Observing Lent in a prayerful-spiritual way
The ‘Serenity Prayer’ is part of a longer prayer written by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr in the 1940s. It is often used by those recovering from addictions. Its length and clarity also makes it good verse for rhythmic repetition while walking or exercising, for those who find it difficult to chase "thinking" away. Repetitive prayer and meditation are an ancient Christian tradition, as is walking meditation. But even just awareness of the rhythm of our breathing, in and out, can help to centre us in an awareness of God’s presence around us as Spirit and Breath and Sustainer. Thanks to Rev. Gordon Murray of our choir for the gift of adapting this work from his time in active ministry for our use.
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can, and
Wisdom to know the difference.
1) Begin the Lenten Watch by taking off your shoes, lighting a candle, observing silence for at least one minute, and opening with a prayer for grace.
2) Then pray with Scripture (one per week).
Luke 4:1-13 The Road to the Wilderness where the Holy Spirit leads us into emptiness
Acts 9:1-19 The Road to Damascus, where life is given a new direction
Luke 15:11-32 The Road Home, where the prodigal son discovers wisdom
Luke 10:25-37 The Road to Jericho, where the Good Samaritan cares for one in need
Luke 10:38-42 The Road to Bethany that leads to the home of Martha and Mary
Luke 9:51-62; 19:28-40 The Road to Jerusalem and following Jesus
3) Close each session with the extinguishing of the candle.
In the Community
Bach Mass in b minor with Halifax Camerata Singers and Symphony Nova Scotia cancelled
RCCO Organ Concert scheduled for Mar. 27 at First Baptist Church, Halifax cancelled
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Administrative Stuff
Church office: (902) 423-9209, stmatts@ns.sympatico.ca
Pastoral care: Rev. Betsy Hogan, (902) 423-9209, stmatts.betsy@ns.sympatico.ca
Sunday Worship: 10:30 am
Minister of Music: Wayne Rogers, (902) 429-1680, humber@ns.sympatico.ca
Student Organist: Matthew Fraser
On the web: www.stmatts.ns.ca
Ushering – Click this link to open the sign-up page
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=17186169
EarthSpiritAction Resources for Thinking About God's Green Earth: www.stmatts.ns.ca/about/earth-spirit-action-eco-team
Meeting Schedule 2020
Congregational Meeting May 3, 2020 (budget)
Session, Stewards Apr. 26
Official Board
Worship and Music Apr. 19
Regular Activities
Sunday Free Breakfast – Sundays 8:30 am
Thursday Afternoon Bible Study – Cancelled for March 19
Choirs – Thursdays – Cancelled for March 19
Lunch Bunch community choir – Cancelled until further notice
St. Matthew’s Book Club – TBD
Melville Heights Service – Third Sunday at 2 pm at Melville Heights retirement lodge
Potluck Church -- TBA
Enjoy St. Matthew’s United Church weekly bulletin. Contact the office to add your email or to unsubscribe: stmatts@ns.sympatico.ca or (902) 423-9209