Game Night Bragging Rights

On April 21st, twenty-eight people came to St. Margaret's for the first Game Night. Tables were set with too many games to play in one night -- Uno, cards, Trivial Pursuit, Trouble, Battleship, Senior Moments, Clue Jr., Hullabaloo, Scattergories, and many more. A spirited game of Uno brought generations together. An adult or two could even be seen playing the bean bag toss, a St. Margaret's staple. Children enjoyed playing their games while the adults got into the spirit of the night.

One game of Americana Trivial Pursuit saw men and women facing off. After threats of a victory dance, the men were victorious (but, thankfully, there was no dancing!). Not to be outdone, the women took an early lead in Pictionary. But, again, the men celebrated a come-from-behind victory and announced themselves winners. The women unanimously agreed that they are the wieners and look forward to a rematch at the next game night!

Won't you join us for the next Game Night? Friday, May 19 at 7 pm in the parish hall? LOTS of games, snacks, drinks, laughs. Games are available for children as well. We hope to see you there. Invite friends, co-workers, or neighbors to join us for a fun night. The women are seeking revenge!

St. Margaret's Newsletter - May 2006

The May 2006 St. Margaret's Newsletter is now available.

St. Margaret's News

The Shielded Candle

The shielded candle flickers next to the shrouded reserve sacrament.
The church is quiet: the greater church keeps vigil ---
It is Good Friday.
For the faithful, it is a time of waiting.
The altar is stripped, the sanctuary light is gone.
Only the cross, silhouetted above the barren altar, remains.
It, the ordeal which through the power of its love and submission, saves us.
By the grace of God, we live;
And though we die,
We live.
Amen.

Marian Stewart
11:10 am
April 14, 2006

Cleanse Me From My Sin

“‘Do you understand,' he said,
'what I have done to you?..
If I, then, the Lord and Master,
have washed your feet,
you must wash each other's feet.'"
John 13: 1-15

John twice tells about washing of feet in his gospel. The first time the feet of Jesus are washed by Mary, the sister of Lazarus, and during the last supper he washes the feet of his disciples.
In pious reflections it is often stressed that Jesus showed in this way his humility, the humbleness of his heart. There, definitely is that hint in the story when Jesus says, 'It is I, the Lord and Master, who washes your feet!"
There is another explanation, particularly if you read it in the context of Mary's gesture. She washed his feet because she wanted to show her love. Jesus even said at the time that this story would be told wherever the gospel is proclaimed in remembrance of her.
During his description of the last supper John does not mention the institution of the Eucharist, but he tells us of the washing of the feet. He tells us how Jesus showed his disciples his love just before he would die for them on the cross. Jesus told them that we should do this to each other, to the whole of humankind, in remembrance of him, and, we might add, even of her!

THE STRIPPING OF THE ALTAR
After the Last Supper, events moved rapidly: Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane where Judas betrayed him with a kiss. He was arrested, beaten, mocked and tried. Condemned to death, he carried his own cross to Golgotha.
As Jesus' life was stripped from Him, so we strip our altar of the signs of seasonal church life, to symbolize Christ's purposeful, redemptive suffering and death for us.

Sharing the Triduum

The collect or prayer that is used for the Palm Sunday procession express our hopes for Holy Week- "Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace." (BCP p. 272)
Mark your calendars so that you can be with us for worship on Palm Sunday for the reading of the Passion and for the celebration of the Triduum.

What's the Triduum?
It is the period beginning with sundown on Maundy Thursday and extending until sundown on Easter Day. For us that includes Maundy Thursday Eucharist with the washing of feet and stripping of the altar; a vigil through the night by the reserved sacrament, the Proper Liturgy for Good Friday at noon, Stations of the Cross at 7 pm Friday night the reading of the Holy Saturday liturgy in the chapel at 7 am, the lighting of the Paschal candle and the celebration Holy Eucharist at 7:30 and 9 am on Easter Sunday morning, April 16th and the traditional Parish Easter Breakfast and Egg Hunt.

If you look in the Book of Common Prayer, you can note that there is no dismissal printed in Maundy Thursday and Good Friday liturgies. They are, in a sense, one single worship service or liturgical act. Being present as fully as possible allows us to be caught up into the divine mystery of Christ's death and resurrection. All the pieties of Holy Week come together and we die, and live and reign with Christ.

Why should I get my feet washed?
We wash each others feet to join in the humility and servant ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. The washing of feet is an outward and visible sign of the love of Christ which we are commanded to share with one another. Read John 13: 14-15.
Consider that this is not a staged drama to be watched. Rather, it is liturgy and worship in which we all are invited to take part. Some may have personal scruples about the intimacy of having their feet washed. However, many people have found this to be a very meaningful act, so most should come forward.

What is the Vigil through the night?
We are seeking to be like Jesus’ disciples whom he asked to watch and pray with him after the Last Supper in the Garden of Gethsemane. Read Matthew 26: 40-41
The Rev. Betsy Diely posted a Vigil reflection on our blog, Maggie’s Cross. See page 9 of the newsletter or visit the blog to see how people have responded to her reflection.

Is it true that the Rector invites those present at the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday to join her at Pizza Hut afterward-her treat?
Yes.
And she continues at that time to search for the Easter joke.
Rejected ones may be told.

Here are ways you can join us in our walk of faith.
- Attend as many worship events as possible.
- Be at Church on April 9th to give your answer to Palm Sunday's hymn - "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
- Have your feet washed.
- Sign up for Thursday night's vigil.
- Speak to Sally West, our Senior Warden, if you can help with the Easter morning breakfast.
- Come to the April 4th meeting of the Worship Commission. Canon Shallcross and the Worship Commission welcome extra hands to help with all the physical details of this busy week.
- Make an appointment for an individual confession with a member of the clergy. (BCP, pp.446-452)
- Invite family and friends to join you on Easter morning and enjoy our festive worship and the shared meals; Holy Communion and the Parish Breakfast.


We invite you to join us for the Holy Week celebrations!

Holy Week Celebrations

Explore with us the power of God at work in all the crucifixion/ resurrection cycles of our lives. Seed, then harvest. Death, then life. Crucifixion, Resurrection. Lent, Easter. Ashes, Alleluias. One is necessary for the other. There is no new life without death.

Holy Week is the time given us to recall how God gives us new life in the events around our Savior Jesus Christ’s betrayal, trial, death, burial and resurrection.

Passion/Palm Sunday is April 9th and Holy Week begins. Please come early to be part of the Liturgy of the Palms. We'll gather around 10 am downstairs in the Parish Hall and process outdoors, weather permitting. Regular Sunday worship service: 8 and 10:15 am, but no Church School.

Maundy Thursday, April 13th, our worship begins at 7 p.m. We will celebrate the Holy Eucharist with Foot Washing in the Sanctuary. All are invited to come forward to have their feet washed by the Rector and Senior Warden. This service ends in silence with the stripping of the altar, which reminds us of Jesus' arrest.

The Vigil at the Altar of Repose begins at 9 pm and continues through to noon. We recall Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane and seek to answer His question, "Could you not watch me for one hour?"


At noon of Good Friday, April 14th, we will use the Proper Liturgy (BCP, p. 276). The Church will be open for meditation until 3 pm. Stations of the Cross will be held at 7 pm. We gather in the Parish Hall and use a contemporary setting.

Holy Saturday is a day of preparation. There is a reading of the Holy Saturday liturgy at 7 am in the Chapel. While the Altar Guild works behind the scenes, Church School children will dye eggs, starting at 10 am, for Sunday's egg hunt. Clergy are available to hear individual confessions (BCP, pp.446-452), so please make an appointment.

Our celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ begins on Easter morning, April 16th, with Holy Eucharist at 7:30 am and 9 am. There is a Parish Fellowship Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt after worship.

All are invited!