Worship

Prayer Corner
Please pray for St. Michael’s Church and our mission, which is to transform every heart and home, the Holy City, the Hurting Coast and the Hungering World through Jesus Christ. Pray specifically for the Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence and his family; for Douglas Born and his mission in Charleston; for Dallas and Janie Wilson and St. John’s Chapel; for Rob Dewey and Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy; for Tabitha Wang and her mission in China; for Simon Guillebaud and his mission in Burundi; for our missionary in Yemen; for Pastor Peter and the Church in Ukraine; and for Rob Kunes and Tyler Prescott, our seminarians.

Prayers for Deployed Military
PFC Tony Roderick, Afghanistan
(grandson of Paulette and Randy Gobel)
Army Specialist Adam Chapman, Fort Bliss, Texas
(son of Eason Chapman)
Air Force, Nick Anderson, Korea
(son-in-law of Marty and David Richardson)

Parents-to-Be Prayer List
God said, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.”
Jennifer and Dan Polon (February 2010)
Caroline and Wilson Baker (March 2010)
Emily and Bryant Pearson (March 2010)
Lanier and Tyler Prescott (March 2010)
Cathy and James Lipp (March 2010)
Debra and James Wilson (March 2010)
Kendall and Brents Lee (May 2010)
Mary Dickey and Will Mayer (May 2010)
Amy and Blair Halford (June 2010)
Betsy and Jay Unger (June 2010)
Julie and Rob Kunes (August 2010)

Birth Announcements
Gus Christopher Phelps was born on February 11th, 2010, to Sarah and Mark Phelps! Gus weighed 7 pounds and 2 ounces.

Prayers for Employment
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today”
Hebrews 3:13a This new list, for those needing employment, includes names and recent employment skills.
Ross Early – land surveyor
Kathy Heavner – arts education
Eddie Steele – manufacturing; engineering
Heather Bryan – marketing; writing; teaching

From the Messenger February 7 & 14, 2010

Trading a Good Thing for a Great Thing

For years, St. Michael’s has offered the traditional “Shrove Tuesday” pancake dinner on the Tuesday night before Ash Wednesday. It has been hosted by the Youth Group and held in the Kinlock Room. After much prayer, discussion, and discernment, St. Michael’s leadership team (the clergy and senior staff) has decided that we will not offer the “Shrove Tuesday” pancake dinner this year. This is because it would conflict with the Alpha Course. Let me explain why we felt called to depart from this good Christian tradition.

The word shrove comes from an old English verb shrive which means to obtain absolution from one’s sins by confession and doing penance. Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the shriving that Christians were expected to do on Ash Wednesday. As you know, Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, the Church season in which we focus on repentance.

While we don’t know when Shrove Tuesday was first practiced (although it has been recorded as happening as far back as the 12th century), a tradition developed in which Christians sought to use up the rich food stuffs before the Lenten fast began. So, eggs, milk, and sugar were turned into pancakes and consumed at a big party. Ever since then, Christians in the Western Church have marked the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday with a pankcake dinner.

It is important to note that “Shrove Tuesday” is not mentioned in the Bible.

So, why are we not celebrating this old Christian tradition? Because St. Michael’s is called to make disciples of Jesus Christ at the expense of all else (Matthew 28.18-20). That is our mission. That is why God created St. Michael’s. For over ten years, the Lord has used the Alpha Course to bring many new people into His kingdom. So, while Shrove Tuesday is a good thing, it must make room for a great thing: the opportunity to bring someone to know and love Jesus.

While making this decision, the leadership team was guided by Matthew 12.9-14. In this passage, Jesus is faced with a similar problem. Jesus comes to a synagogue on the Sabbath and finds a man with a withered hand. Jesus wanted to heal the man, but the Jewish religious leaders told him it would be unlawful. Although the Old Testament did not prohibit healing on the Sabbath (the day of rest), the Jewish religious leadership many years before had created a rule that curing someone on the Sabbath was “work”, and all work was prohibited on the Sabbath.

This rule was part of the Jewish religious leaders’ tradition, and they had the right motivation in creating it. They loved God and wanted to abide by His commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. So they devised these traditions and regulations to do that. They thought it was a “good” thing.

Jesus, however, tells the religious leaders that they have missed the point. In response to the Jewish religious leaders’ question about healing being “work”, He asks them if they would save a sheep that had fallen in a pit on the Sabbath, and if they would save a sheep, then how much more important is a person. The point is that God came to save those who were lost and broken. To truly keep the law is to do good on the Sabbath. The “great” thing is to save what is lost, not keep a man-made tradition.

There are many “fallen sheep” in this world, and we feel it is important to give their salvation priority over any traditions we have built up.

That being said, we invite you to celebrate Shrove Tuesday in your own way. Perhaps you could have your own Shrove Tuesday party and invite your friends and family? Why not let this be a chance for the Lord to transform your heart through Jesus in your home? This may be the start of a new tradition for your family!

Thank you in advance for your understanding, and please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions or comments.

Your Servant in Christ,
The Rev. Hamilton Smith

 

Lent is Just Around the Corner

Look for the Lent Brochure coming out February 14th. In the meantime, mark your calendar for these special Lent Services.

February 17th, 2010
Ash Wednesday Services
7:30 am, 12:00 pm, & 6:00 pm

Our Day of Healing Prayer for the Prayer Ministers

On Saturday, January 23rd, St. Michael’s Prayer Ministers gathered for a Day of Healing Prayer in the Kinloch room—just for them! As the Prayer Ministers pour themselves out, caring and interceding on behalf of others, they need to be filled as well. Thus, Saturday offered time to receive. We began the morning with delicious refreshments from the Marjenhoff family, followed by encouraging opening words and prayer from both Al Zadig and Bishop Salmon. After praise and worship, we heard Bob Lawrence’s testimony on the healing he has experienced in his own life—which was both powerful and applicable to, I believe, each one of us. Following Bob’s testimony, we took time to listen, in prayer, for what God was saying to each one of us—individually and together in groups of three. This listening time was proceeded by a time of prayer, also in small groups, through which each minister ministered, and received, blessing prayer. To close the morning, we prayed over Bob and Lynn Lawrence, then gratefully celebrated their ministry among us with cake and good conversation.

Many thanks to all those who came to receive as well as lift up one another. ~ Gretchen Sosnowski

 

Prayer Corner
Please pray for St. Michael’s Church and our mission, which is to transform every heart and home, the Holy City, the Hurting Coast and the Hungering World through Jesus Christ. Pray specifically for the Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence and his family; for Douglas Born and his mission in Charleston; for Dallas and Janie Wilson and St. John’s Chapel; for Rob Dewey and Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy; for Tabitha Wang and her mission in China; for Simon Guillebaud and his mission in Burundi; for our missionary in Yemen; for Pastor Peter and the Church in Ukraine; and for Rob Kunes and Tyler Prescott, our seminarians.

Prayers for Deployed Military
PFC Tony Roderick, Afghanistan (grandson of Paulette and Randy Gobel)
Army Specialist Adam Chapman, Fort Bliss, Texas (son of Eason Chapman)
Air Force, Nick Anderson, Korea (son-in-law of Marty and David Richardson)

Parents-to-Be Prayer List
God said, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.”
Sarah and Mark Phelps (February 2010)
Jennifer and Dan Polon (February 2010)
Caroline and Wilson Baker (March 2010)
Emily and Bryant Pearson (March 2010)
Lanier and Tyler Prescott (March 2010)
Cathy and James Lipp (March 2010)
Debra and James Wilson (March 2010)
Kendall and Brents Lee (May 2010)
Mary Dickey and Will Mayer (May 2010)
Amy and Blair Halford (June 2010)
Betsy and Jay Unger (June 2010)
Julie and Rob Kunes (August 2010)
Prayers for Eternal Rest
Grant Eternal Rest, Father:
to Jenni Davis, cousin of Shannon Murray; to Jean Messick, grandmother of Mike Myers; and to J.C. Hare, husband of Connie and father of Cantey Hare.

Prayers for Employment
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today”
Hebrews 3:13a This new list, for those needing employment, includes names and recent employment skills.
Ross Early – land surveyor
Kathy Heavner – arts education
Eddie Steele – manufacturing; engineering
Heather Bryan – marketing; writing; teaching

 

 

 

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