Lent 2019 Life Transformed - The Way of Love in Lent - What does transformation look like? - Church of the Good Shepherd
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Lent 2019 Life Transformed - The Way of Love in Lent What does transformation look like?
Table of
What good are spiritual habits?
Robert Childers, Rector
Contents “If you have no ceremony, no habits, which may be opulent or may be simple,
but are exact and rigorous and familiar, how can you reach toward the
actuality of faith, or even a moral life, except vaguely?” Mary Oliver
03 SPIRITUAL HABITS
Fr. Robert reflects on the importance of
The poet, Mary Oliver, died recently and church that many are conflicted about. For
creating & practicing spiritual habits. there were several articles written about her some, guilt, shame, dust, and death are all
life and work in various publications. I was they can hear when Lent rolls around. Let
05 THE WAY OF LOVE IN LENT - most familiar with her poetry, having read me tweak that narrative a bit for you. I have
LIFE TRANSFORMED many of her poems through the years. I was come to view Lent as a time to recalibrate
not aware, however, that she wrote any my life. Leading up to and during Lent, I try to
Learn about the Way of Love & how it can prose. discern where and how I might have gotten
transform your life.
off course. The course, as Jesus has set it out
06 RE-GREENING MY SOUL
The Outreach Grants Committee reports on
The above quote was in an article I read
about her soon after her death. When I read
for us, is love God, love neighbor.
their work throughout 2018, sharing Christ’s
that sentence, I was overwhelmed at the I don’t know about you but my ability to love
light with the community. utter simplicity, yet intimidating power, of her God and love others requires a plan. I need
words. Whether we are aware of it or not, some ceremonies, some habits in order to
07 BLESSING OTHERS
Deacon Janice and Margaret Anne Haley
we are all creatures of habit. Admittedly,
some are good and some bad. Some are life
get where I think I need to be. Otherwise, my
attempt to follow the Great Commandment
affirming and healthy, while others are not will be vague, at best. So, as we lead up to
reflect on the impact we have on East Side
Elementary School & MetMin. nearly as enriching. Lent, let’s ponder, pray and consider how
we, as individuals, and as a community,
08 YOUTH PILGRIMAGE & ACTIVITIES
Youth Pilgrimage fundraiser dates, youth
Most of us have a series of routines we
participate in each day—work, school,
might more faithfully be the people we are
called to be.
exercise, hobbies, meals, TV shows, etc.—
group & confirmation info from Matt Harbison.
and often we can set our clocks around Regular daily prayer: www.
these activities. Our ceremonies and habits forwardmovement.org has the Day-by-Day
09 SAVE THE DATES & EARLY REMINDER
Lent & Holy Week at Good Shepherd and a
form us and make us what we are. But what
about our faith or even our moral lives, how
devotion and we have hard copies of the
devotion. Consider getting the app for your
are they formed? And how have they taken phone or tablet (Forward Day by Day). Many
reminder about Easter flowers
shape? What are the components and Good Shepherd folks read Richard Rohr’s
10
foundations of what we believe about life, daily devotion which comes into your in box
LIVING INTO LENT
relationships or a higher power? Upon what every morning. Go to Center for Action and
& MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES
are our lives of faith built? What makes up our Contemplation website and look for “Email
Fr. Mac shares some daily pracitces to help moral compass? Is “you know” or “whatever” Sign Up” near the top of the page. The Henri
us live into Lent & daily transformation. John
Wigal shares about upcoming music events.
sufficient? Are our lives of faith and moral Nouwen Society has daily meditations from
beliefs simply “vague”? the late Henri Nouwen’s writings and they
12 KEEP WATCH WITH THE DISCIPLES
This Maundy Thursday & into Good Friday,
On the cover & above: Spring buds
transforming into a flowered tree, Good
Shepherd, Lookout Mountain
If you didn’t see this already, let me show
are always good. These are just a few ways
to get started but they give the beginning of
sign up to keep watch overnight in memory you my hand—this article is about Lent. your day some focus and direction centered
of Jesus’ passion. Lent is an interesting season in the life of the in God.
2 3
Worship: Consider regular attendance
of one (or more) of the many services
Life Transformed –
offered throughout the week here at Good
Shepherd: Sunday - 8:00 am, 10:30 am,
5:05 pm; Tuesday -10: 30 am Healing and
The Way of Love in Lent
Eucharist; Wednesday - 5: 30pm Eucharist; This Lent we join with communities all throughout the
Thursday - 5:00 pm Eucharist; Morning Prayer Episcopal Church who have been invited to walk with
during Lent - Monday, Wednesday, Friday at Jesus in his Way of Love and into the experience of
8:30 am. If you are downtown, St. Paul’s has transformed life. The journey through Lent into Easter is
Eucharist every day at 12:05 pm. always a journey with Jesus. We are baptized into his
life, self-giving, and death; then, we rise in hope to life
Study: Bible Study - Wednesday 7:00 transformed. This Lent we will reflect anew on the loving
am Talbird Hall (men’s); 6:45 pm (after actions of God as recounted in the Easter Vigil readings,
Shepherd’s Night Out supper); Thursday - readings that present our salvation history.
10: 30 am Library (women’s); Sunday
Morning - 9: 15 am (library, Lupton Reading Each Sunday in worship we will hear the scripture noted
Room), not to mention Godly Play and Youth below for that week, and in Christian Formation we will
formation on Sunday’s at 9:15 am consider the corresponding practice of The Way of Love.
The reflections written by parishioners for our parish Lenten
Centering Prayer: Tuesday 11:15 am, Lupton Devotion Book are also set up around these themes and
Reading Room; Wednesday 4:30 pm, Library these pairings of practices and scripture.
Lenten Retreat: March 9, Library, • Week One / TURN: Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
9:00 am - 12:00 pm (Romans 6:3-11)
• Week Two / PRAY: Israel’s Deliverance at the Red
Let’s not think of Lent as a time to beat Sea (Exodus 14:10-15:1)
ourselves up and feel guilty. Instead, let it be • Week Three / LEARN: Learn Wisdom and Live
a time for us all to turn back towards the light (Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6)
of love that is Christ, the one who is calling • Week Four / BLESS: A New Heart and a New Spirit
always us back home into his loving arms. (Ezekiel 36:24-28)
• Week Five / REST: The Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel
37:1-14)
Blessings, grace and peace, • Week Six / WORSHIP: The Gathering of God’s
Robert People (Zephaniah 3:12-20)
• Week Seven / GO: The Empty Tomb (Luke 24:1-12)
Listen and watch Presiding Bishop Michael Currie
introduce the Way of Love in the video found at https://
www.episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love (click on the
video to start it playing)
For more information on The Way of Love and on the
particular Lent 2019 season practice of it, you may also
see: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/life-transformed.
4 5
Re-greening My Soul Blessing Others
Kathleen Crevasse, Director of Christian Education Janice Robbins, Deacon
Years ago my husband gave me a necklace that says “If you keep a green bough in your Good Shepherd always looks for opportunities
heart the singing bird will come.” I have tended to that green-ness and have always been to help whenever and wherever our hands
able to feel it in my bones; but after 18 1/2 years in ministry here at Good Shepherd I have had are needed. As the report by Margaret Ann
a season of dry wood within and I can’t hear the bird sing. Wise spiritual counsel from Fr. Robert Haley shows, we are a very important part of
Chattanooga Initiative 2.0 to East Side Elementary
reminded me that we are a resurrection people, that new life always awaits. I am very grateful
School. This February we assisted in Food Bank
this Lent to for the gift of some sabbath time to re-green my soul.
Distribution Day; and Read across East Side Week
by being onsite-readers and providing MANY boxes
As you all walk The Way of Love toward a Life Transformed this Lent here at Good Shepherd, I of books for elementary age children. Doughnuts
will be walking my own way, a path that I pray will bring me right back to where I started, to for Dads Dudes was cancelled due to the heavy
the place I love, but with new life and joy for my ministry restored. rains and is to be rescheduled. East Side is but one
expression of our looking outward. Your helping
I will begin my time away in silent retreat at the Abbey at Gethsemane in Kentucky. I will TURN presence is requested and needed at East Side,
inward to spend time listening to my life and the One who gave it to me. I PRAY that this time Family Promise, MetMin, Community Kitchen, St.
away will be verdant. My favorite form of prayer is walking and talking with God, being in Matthew’s Men’s and St. Catherine’s Women’s
creation with my creator, the one who made me to lie down in the good, green grass. Shelters, and Northside Neighborhood House.
Should you be searching for someplace to give of
yourself, please follow through! Contact Janice
During this time or REST I also hope to LEARN - to learn practices of stillness and faithful routine
Robbins (Janice@gslookout.com) for assistance in
from the monks, learn from the books stacked up in my “to read” pile, learn from silence and discerning where you can be of assistance!
REST. Though I know the trees rest in winter to bud anew come spring, it’s not a habit I’ve
cultivated well enough, allowing myself to become a whirling dervish of busy-ness. BE A MET MINISTER!
As a part of our Lenten Journey lets lighten the
I’m very grateful for the BLESSING of this gift of time away and hope to return a person renewed day-to-day load that some that our MetMin*
and able to BLESS our congregation. friends carry.
I look forward to visiting other congregations in this time to experience WORSHIP strictly as a Items are needed for MetMin clients! These items We had a very exciting day at the Mobile Food
participant without the constant watchful eye to possible glitches or missing volunteers and cannot be bought with Supplemental Nutrition Pantry at East Side Elementary on Wednesday,
Assistance Program (SNAP), but are still very much February 20. We had a large contingency of
the like. I hope to come back home with some new ideas and inspiration for our corporate
needed parishioners, Blue Cross volunteers, and three
worship. students from Signal Mountain High School.
What’s needed: We had a thunderstorm and heavy rain so we
I will carry all of you in my heart as I GO forth into this time apart. I hope you will keep me in your • Paper towels/tissues/toilet paper altered our schedule a bit. Instead of helping
hearts and prayers as well. One of the things that stirs and restores my soul most powerfully is • Laundry detergent pods/household supplies families to their cars with the bags and boxes
poetry. If you’re moved to share a favorite poem for me to dwell with while I’m away, I’d be • Personal needs (shampoo/conditioner/soap/ of food, we had them pull up to the front of the
grateful for the gift. deodorant/shaving cream) school and loaded the cars there. The volunteers
• Money helping with the delivery to cars ended wet
I wish you all a holy Lent. I can’t help but wonder (of course I can’t; wondering is my stock • Diapers from head to toe but I never heard a complaint
in trade), if there shouldn’t be a eighth practice on The Way of Love - THANK. I thank all the from anyone. East Side is such a special place
people who have made this time possible: Fr. Robert for his guidance and encouragement, Collection is in the narthex through April 21. Met to volunteer and the families and teachers are
Ministers are needed! very appreciative. Mark your calendars for
my fellow staff members for bearing the burden that any one person away always presents,
Wednesday, March 13 at 3:00 and come join the
the many volunteers who are taking on responsibility for Godly Play, Morning Prayer, Trinity *Metropolitan Ministries exists to be an “emergency room” for camaraderie!
Kids, children’s worship and more. I have such deep gratitude for the willingness with which social services. It also maintains a “cache” of items that are
Margaret Anne Haley
my core volunteers responded when I told them that I ached for this time away. Thank you, distributed as needed.
all, for this gift.
6 7
Save the Dates
An Early Reminder
Barbara Helton, Flower Guild
Believe it or not, the Guilds and staff of the of the church have already started
planning for Easter. As usual, the Flower Guild will have a general memorial fund
for donations to remember and honor special people and groups. Also, we will
have also a few memorials that will be in place for Palm Sunday and Easter both.
You may call the church, 821-1583, for more information or to make a donation
to the fund. Additionally, Easter flowers envelopes will be placed in the pews
during Lent.
8 9
Living into Lent
Mac Brown, Assistant to the Rector
We are entering the season of Lent, a time of getting ready for the mystery of Love and Life that comes
in just a short six weeks. But for those of us with small kids at home, this time of getting ready may just
blow by. So how can we participate in a Holy Lent, while also helping our children participate, and
acknowledge the reality of life with little humans?
Many of us know that this is a time to fast so that we may make room for God to be resurrected in us,
but there is more to Lent than just fasting. The three pillars of Lent are fasting, prayer, and service. We
fast because Jesus did, and we make room for God to bless us in new ways. We pray because Jesus
did, and we make space for God to communicate with us in new ways. And we serve because, well
you get it, and to hear how God is calling us to love in new ways. So, it isn’t just about fasting, there
are many ways you and the entire family can participate in a holy Lent. After researching ideas to
help us in this journey, I came along a calendar from 2015. I have borrowed the idea and some of the
suggestions, but also made this calendar ours.
On the following page, you will find a copy of this calendar. Throughout Lent, each day we will have
an opportunity to fast, pray, or serve, with simple, family appropriate exercises. So, put it on your
refrigerator, hang it next to your kids’ calendar, hang it on your bathroom mirror. Give yourself a break
and allow your Lent to be a holy path toward the mystery of Love.
Music Opportunies in Lent
John Wigal, Director of Music
March 24, 8:00 pm the Office of Compline
In Spiritu, a choir of singers from several area Episcopal churches, will offer the Office of Compline
here in the Good Shepherd Nave at 8 pm on Sunday, March 24. This short 30 minute service is taken
from the Monastic practice of the hours – worship services occurring throughout the day. Compline
is the office for the close of the day before sleep. In Spiritu has been offering this worship opportunity
for the past 2 years in Chattanooga and this will be their first offering here at Good Shepherd. This
extremely peaceful service of listening and quiet offers a moment of respite at the end of the day.
April 7, 5:00 pm Chorister Evensong
The combined Choristers from St. Paul’s, St. Timothy’s and Good Shepherd will offer Evensong at
5:00 pm in the Good Shepherd Nave. This has become an annual event for the combining of these
three churches’ children’s choirs and we hope you will come and support the children on this day. A
Reception will follow in Talbird Hall.
April 13, Palm Sunday, 5:00 pm The Requiem by Maurice Duruflé
The traditional text of the Requiem Mass will be offered by select members of two area ensembles,
Voices of Reason women’s choir and Voci Virili men’s ensemble. The setting will be by 20th century
French composer Maurice Duruflé. Duruflé was a proponent of plainsong chant and his setting of
the Requiem is full of plainsong melodies in a contemplative and contemporary setting. This will be
a wonderful musical event to begin your Holy Week journey. The program will be offered free in the
Good Shepherd nave, Mr. Josh Golden conducting and Mr. John Wigal at the organ.
10 11
Keep Watch with the Disciples “Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake.” These words come from Evening Prayer and Compline liturgies in our prayer book and ask God to do the work we are called to do as we take our moments of rest. Immediately following the Maundy Thursday service on April 18, we will keep watch in the prayer chapel in our narthex. As the altar is stripped, and the darkness of Good Friday falls upon us, the reserve sacrament will be removed from the ambry and placed on a small altar of repose in the prayer chapel, and we will begin keeping watch. And you can keep watch too! We will be looking for volunteers to keep watch, to sit in prayer, study, and meditation in the prayer chapel from 7:30 pm on Maundy Thursday through the night into Good Friday. So watch your inbox to see how you can keep watch. The Church of the Good Shepherd 211 Franklin Road Lookout Mountain, Tennessee 37350 Return Service Requested
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